Hi all,

Well the clocks have gone back, the leaves are turning (or turned depending on where you are) and the nights are drawing in. Don’t you just love the autumn?! At least it truly is the start of traditional whisky-drinking weather!

I am busy in planning mode and it is looking like a very busy 2011 for us (and you!). I will be releasing details of next years early events very soon to enable you to buy these as Xmas pressies…

For now though, we have a very special and exciting series of tastings for you in November and December…

Islay – Blind Fury

After several months of single distillery tastings, with Arran and Springbank, I felt it was time to get back to our routes. Whilst I thought these were great tastings and very interesting, I am also looking forward to presenting this to you.  We are back to the ‘blind’ format of you not knowing what whiskies you have been tastings until the end of the night. This way you can form no preconceptions that can often get in the way of a balanced opinion, plus it gives you the chance to really test your palate and nose without distraction. This event will feature all new whiskies to our Islay tastings – and some new to the market – so you are likely to be tasting drams you have never tasted before! I have had much fun putting it together and I’m sure you will enjoy it even more! I will be organising to have all of the available whiskies for sale on the night too in order to sort out any Xmas present quandaries!

Dates and venues…

Manchester – Saturday 20th November, The Britons Protection, 7.30pm
Leeds – Friday 26th November, City Inn, Granary Wharf, 7.30pm
York – Saturday 27th November, The Cedar Court Grand (new venue!), 7.30pm
London – Tuesday 7th December, The Red Lion, Crown Passage, SW1, 7.30pm
Newcastle – Friday 10th December, Blackfriars, Friar Street, 7.30pm

Tickets are only £20 each and are now available from the website – click here to be taken straight there! http://www.thewhiskylounge.com/Events.aspx

Your Choice…

I am always open to suggestion when it comes to subject matter and I would really like to hear from you on this. As you know, I am now putting together my calendar of tastings for 2011 together and rather than assume what you want, I would like to be able to give you exactly what you want (to a degree!). If you have any ideas for areas we have not covered or whiskies you would like to see us cover off then please email me. I will even throw in a pair of free places on a Whisky Lounge tasting or festival of your choice to the person that comes up with the best workable suggestion. Bargain!

You can also make these suggestions via our Facebook page or Twitter feed if you are up on such things.

That’s all for now, but I will be keeping you updated with all things Whisky Lounge throughout November and December.

Sláinte!

Eddie

Eddie Ludlow
Whisky Evangelist

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

01904 466227
07515 854210

Whisky Pairing With Ed Kohl

Wednesday Nov 10:6:00pm – 8:30pm
The City Club of San Francisco: 155 Sansome St, San Francisco

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to experience great appetizers paired with Signatory, Kilchoman, Edradour Scotch Whiskies and more…

Price is $45 all inclusive.

PURCHASE TICKETS AT http://tinyurl.com/WithEdKohl

Presented by Ed Kohl, industry veteran and Spirits Expert.

The evening will indulge your senses with Whisky and gourmet hors d’oeuvres. Ed is well known for being a captivating speaker to both the novice and seasoned whisky enthusiast as he educates on the Art of Whisky.

Each guest will be served their own plate of hor d’oeuvres.  This allows each whisky to be tasted and the flavors savored. Next, the carefully crafted appetizers can be pleasured with the Whisky.

WHISKIES
Blood and Sand Cocktail Featuring Isle of Skye
Kilchoman – Islay
Edradour – Highland
Highland Park UCF (18 Year 92 proof) – Orkney
Auchentoshan UCF – Lowland
Cragganmore UCF (13 Year) – Speyside
Ben Nevis CS (18 year) – Highland 
Smokehead – Islay

HORS D’OEUVRES
Chorizo Dates Bacon-Wrapped Sweet Dates Stuffed w/ Lightly Spiced Chorizo
Baked Oysters on the Half Shell, Hobbs Bacon, Creamy Bechamel
Peppered Beef Tenderloin with Blue Cheese Sauce
White Bean & Red Pepper Puree, Shaved Reggiano, Brioche Toast

We offer a VEGETARIAN MENU if requested when purchasing this ticket.  Request at checkout.

Loch Fyne Whiskies News has stocked a new item, ‘Chivas Regal Christian Lacroix 12yo 1.5 litre’

Chivas Regal Christian Lacroix 12yo
40% abv
£145.00 inc vat
£123.40 ex vat

Please note that this is a magnum 150cl bottle

Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk and visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at www.lfw.co.uk

November 2010

Dear Customer

This month we have eight (8) new bottlings under the PROVENANCE label from the Highland, Speyside and Islay regions.

Their Tasting Notes are:

PRV0654 GLENTAUCHERS 10 YEAR OLD
The initial impression on the nose is of the aroma from a Mashtun, sweet and malty, then toffee and caramelised fruit become apparent. The palate opens sweet and warming and runs to a dry and smoky quality. The finish is medium long, still dry with a spicy, nutty character. (J)

PRV0656 MACDUFF 10 YEAR OLD
The nose is sweet and floral and carries a real fresh herbal quality. The palate is sweetly spiced, creamy and runs to a spicy, cinnamon and pastis character. The finish is light and very elegant – aperitif style. (J)

PRV0659 DALMORE 11 YEAR OLD
Opens fresh and fruity on the nose, it runs to a sweet vanilla style with a candy floss character. The palate is sweet and spicy and carries a tablet, American cream soda quality, maybe even a lightly smoked character, before it runs drier. The finish is long, reminiscent of a coffee liqueur filled (dark Belgian) chocolate. (J)

PRV0652 BENRINNES SHERRY 12 YEAR OLD
The nose is fresh, fragrant and spicy – with a fruity, gristy and sweet character. The sweetness runs through on the palate, now with honey and vanilla – in a mor-ish dessert style. More spices appear on the finish which runs between cedar wood dry and caramel sweet qualities. (J)

PRV0645 BLAIR ATHOL SHERRY 11 YEAR OLD
The nose opens with a rich, nutty quality (walnuts?) and develops to a spicy character with oranges and marzipan. On the rich palate, the spicy, nutty style returns, now with a soft leathery quality. The finish is initially gristy dry before a honey’d, Golden Syrup sweetness appears. (J)

PRV 0662 GLENROTHES 11 YEAR OLD
Opens freshly on the nose carrying a sweet malt character and runs to sweet, spiced apricots and toffee. The palate is warming with an attractive spicy and sweet style before a honeyed quality develops. On the long finish, orange pith and extra dark bitter chocolate are pleasantly lingering.(J)

PRV 0663 LAPHROAIG 11 YEAR OLD
A distinct smoked ham quality appears initially on the nose, running to a smoking furnace/chimney quality with soft tar. The initial sweetness on the palate is quickly overtaken by rich peat smoke and a charred bbq meat quality. The finish is long (there seems to be no end) with an ash and tar character plus a creosote quality – like an old style fishing port. (J)

PRV0658 MANNOCHMORE 12 YEAR OLD
Opens fresh and fruity on the nose and runs to a sweet vanilla and Scottish “tablet” character. The palate is warming, still sweet, with a spiced peaches quality and an interestingly sweet camphor style. The finish is long and spicy, carrying an orange tang quality. (J)

We hope you will find that there are some really interesting new Malts offered in this selection . We are enthusiastic about them and hope that you will respond positively to them.

With all best wishes, I remain

Yours faithfully

Fred H Laing
Managing Director

Visit Douglas Laing & Company at www.douglaslaing.com

Angels takes off……………….Angels Whisky Club, formed earlier this year by three eager experienced enthusiasts from Scotland, has just launched their web site.

Although only a couple of months old this exciting new venture is already flying as evidence by the already generous offerings in the web site, which so far carries a wide-ranging variety of items including reports on recent members’ tours, featured distilleries and whiskies, offers to club members, and news and views from club members with something to say, and much, much more.

Angels seems to have pulled off a bit of a coup by enticing the world renowned whisky aficionado Charles McLean as Patron – no mean feat for a new club.

Angels has introduced a unique feature – their Ambassadors. This is an increasingly expanding network of ambassadors throughout the world who, in conjunction with Angels HQ, can organise local events and act as local contacts for Angels members throughout the world – there are already Ambassadors in place in 7 different countries. A tangible example of Angels’
serious ambition to cover every corner of the globe.

Membership is free and numbers are growing fast – Angels Whisky Club can be found at www.angelswhiskyclub.com.  Join today FREE!

STOP PRESS; Angels will be at the whisky live show in Holland, photos show Willie Auld, Liz Gillespie and Paul McLean. Also patron Charlie

Smokehead Joins The Search For The UK’s Greatest Unsigned Rock Band With The Marshall Ultimate Band Contest
 
Edinburgh: Smokehead Whisky, in association with Marshall and Lick Library, is sponsoring the greatest unsigned rock band battle of all time, with the most coveted prize in the music industry: The Marshall Ultimate Band Contest (UBC).

Launched on 1 October in partnership with rock ‘n’ roll’s spirit of choice, Smokehead Whisky, the Marshall UBC is calling all rock gods in-the-making to get online and submit their music video. Not only will the winning band receive an amazing set of prizes, their music will be heard by top music industry insiders and influencers, receiving the honour of a Marshall endorsement for one year.

A full endorsement for guitar and bass players from Marshall Amplification is sought after by all the top artists around the world. Bestowed on the likes of Slash and Jimi Hendrix, in the past the only way to get the endorsement was to already be signed and making waves within the music industry.

Not only will the winning band have full Marshall artist support and loan of gear for a year, they will also win a fantastic bands’ worth of Marshall amps including a bass stack and guitar stack. The prize also includes Smokehead Whisky, the powerful Islay Single Malt which has become the drink of choice at rock events including the Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards and High Voltage Festival; a four-track demo re-master courtesy of Metropolis Studios; Licklibrary DVDs and Classic Rock magazine will put a track from the winning band on a classic rock covermount CD.

Entry is simple and free. Bands need to register with the website, uploading their own YouTube video of original music to www.marshallubc.com. The top 20 groups with the most votes will then go through to the second round, where five bands will be selected to compete in the final before Christmas at Marshall HQ in Milton Keynes, performing live in front of an audience and respected industry judges.

Paul Marshall, Artist and Customer Liaison Manager of Marshall Amplification said: “The aim of the Marshall UBC is simply to find the best unsigned band out there and give them a shot.  We have brought together some huge music-obsessed sponsors in Smokehead, Classic Rock Magazine, Lick Library and Metropolis, all passionate and committed to supporting and promoting some of the best raw talent that the UK has to offer. Entries have just opened and already the standard is immense.”

Iain Weir, Marketing Director of Ian Macleod Distillers, brand owners of Smokehead Whisky said: As a powerful, peaty Islay Single Malt, Smokehead is irreverent, powerful and not for the faint-hearted – the perfect mix to become a true rock brand.  We are honoured to be involved and working with the iconic Marshall Amplification on this exciting project. Through the Ultimate Band Contest, our work with Classic Rock Magazine and High Voltage Festival, we are cementing Smokehead’s reputation and its synergy with the rock world.”

For more details, rules of entry and to enter see www.marshallubc.com & www.facebook.com/marshalUBC  Closing date for entries to Marshall UBC is 15/11/10

Described as being like a cannonball, Smokehead is an explosive combination of peat, smoke and spice with some delicate sweetness. The single malt flavour is described as fresh, fruity and immense, with notes of sherry, iodine, toffee, smoke and sea salt. The taste hits the palate at once with cocoa, peat and some honey sweetness, before exploding with peppery spice and more earthy peat.

In his new book 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die, Ian Buxton says of Smokehead 18 Years Old: “I saw Extra Black compared to the amplifier that goes all the way up to 11 in Spinal Tap. This is just as rock and roll as that.”

Smokehead is widely available throughout the UK and worldwide, RRP £31.99. Details of stockists, including Sainsbury’s can be found on the website www.smokehead.co.uk

Curious to discover more, visit www.smokehead.co.uk

Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky encourages responsible drinking www.drinkaware.co.uk www.scotch-whisky.org.uk

Notes:

The Prizes
Marshall Artist Endorsement for 1 Year – Marshall artist support with loan for any gigs* for a year after the date of the final.
– Marshall JVM 210H
– Marshall 1960A
– Marshall MB 410H
– Marshall MBC 810
*Subject to certain terms and conditions, and the band will be responsible for any carriage.
Smokehead whisky
LickLibrary DVDs’
Metropolis studio – master a bands demo (up to 4 tracks) via their ‘unsigned mastering’ service
Classic Rock – Will put a track from the winning band on a classic rock covermount CD

Tasting notes:
Nose: Heavy smoke and peat.   Amazing richness.   Lemon, fresh ginger, plum jam.   Salty and spicy.  
Body: Like a cannonball – hits the palate at once with cocoa, peat and some honey sweetness then explodes with peppery spice and more earthy peat.   Spreads to all the areas of your mouth with more peat and light sweetness.
Finish: Even more peat, spice, mandarin – then dries up.   When you think it’s all over the peat comes back to hit you again.
Impression A rollercoaster of peat and spice with some delicate sweetness.

Canadianwhisky.org Reaches Another Milestone

Just over 3 months since its launch, the five top reviews on canadianwhisky.org have each attracted over 1,200 readers.  Which Canadian whiskies are people most interested in reading about?

WhistlePig 100% Straight Rye

Dave Pickerell is a true icon of the American whisky industry so when he declares Canada as the source of the world’s very best rye whisky, that’s news to be shouted from the rooftops.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/whistlepig-10-year-old-straight-100-rye-whiskey.html

Wiser’s Legacy

John Philip Wiser, distiller. Born October 4, 1825, Trenton, New York; died April 30, 1911, Prescott, Ontario. Legacy: Wiser’s family of great Canadian whiskeys and now a brand new one.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/introducing-the-new-wiser’s-legacy-canadian-rye-whisky-45-alc-vol.html

Alberta Premium 25year old

Sweet vanilla pods and fresh-cut lumber. A complex mosaic of flavours from cedar to tropical fruit set on a creamy base with hot pepper and a delicate underlying citric zest.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/alberta-premium-aged-25-years-40-alc-vol.html

Crown Royal Extra Rare

A rich, weighty, hugely complex and skillfully structured whisky displaying ripe red fruit, fresh-cut oak, hot spices, dry grain, and violets.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/crown-royal-xr-extra-rare-40-alc-vol.html

Gibson’s Finest Rare 18 year old

Sweet, spicy oak and pine sawdust, rich in toffee, vanilla, and hot spicy pepper. Biscuits, with typical rye dustiness, spice, fruit, and just a drop of pickle juice.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/gibson’s-finest-rare-18-years-old-40-alc-vol.html
The site currently features a Canadian whisky that’s selling well in the U.S. but won’t be available north of the 49th parallel until spring 2011.

Royal Canadian Small Batch

A very sweet fruit smoothie with earthy rye, hints of fresh oak, hot pepper, baking spices, pickle juice, spirit, and refreshing bitter notes.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/royal-canadian-small-batch-40-alcvol-80-proof-2.html

New reviews appear regularly on www.canadianwhisky.org.

November Outturn: For Pioneering Spirits

Introducing Far Flung Flavours
Not only are we releasing 11 outstanding single casks this November First Friday, we’d like to introduce three unforgettable characters, each coming from a different time.  Just one look at their unique labels begins to reveal their true temperament. 

Far Flung Flavours for pioneering spirits.  Available only as part of a set (one per member), numbers for the collection are very few. Give us a call (0131 555 2929, Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm) or visit us online – The Far Flung Flavours go onsale Fri 5 Nov, 10am

November bottlings on-sale NOW:

19.48 Big, friendly, toffee nose
Highland Eastern
£64.40 inc. Free P&P
A big, friendly, toffee nose (toffee crunch ice-cream, millionaire shortbread); in its wake, wafted vanilla, marmalade, sweet tobacco, lemon, cherry and rich honey-glazed ham

7.60 Life is a Cabaret, old chum…
Speyside Lossie
£69.40 inc. Free P&P
A 1930’s Berlin cabaret – fag packets, cheap perfume, lipstick, seamed stockings, grease paint, serge uniforms, leather jackboots and bacon crisps (did they have those in the ‘30’s?)

127.5 Morning dew on Islay
Islay
£43.70 inc. Free P&P
A platter of seafood awaited us; shrimps, oysters and crabs, with a boiling pot of crayfish and lobsters.  The neat palate was both peppery and sweet with tobacco smoke and charcoal, dark chocolate and leather

Sherry Butt Pair:
76.78 & 44.47 for £81 and save £9.90

WIN A CASK Competition: 37 one-of-a-kind bottles

48.21 Sunshine on a rainy day
Don’t forget about our Win a Cask competition – buy any bottle from now until Mon 13 Dec and we’ll enter you into our competition where you could win 37 bottles of 48.21 (the whole outturn!)

SMWS Whisky Tasting & Events

New Members Tasting – Queen Street, Mon 8 Nov
New Outturn Open Tasting – London, Mon 8 Nov
Penderyn Tasting – London, Wed 10 Nov
South African Rugby Brunch – The Vaults, Sat 20 Nov
Christmas Outturn Tasting – Queen Street, Thu 25 Nov
Winchester Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin, Thu 25 Nov
Glasgow Preview Tasting – Malmaison, Fri 26 Nov
Pan-Asian Curry Experience – London, Sat 27 Nov

Visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society today for your chance to join http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships

Loch Fyne Whiskies News has stocked a new item, ‘Chivas Regal Christian Lacroix 18yo’

Chivas Regal Christian Lacroix 18yo
40% abv
£400.00 inc vat
£340.42 ex vat

Limited to 3000 bottles

Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk and visit Loch Fye Whiskies at www.lfw.co.uk

www.ralfy.com Whisky Review 163 – yippee !

Stranachan’s Colorado Whiskey
… or as they like to say in Denver, “Straight Rocky Mountain Whiskey”