Whisky Live – Holland

MCLEANSCOTLAND will be there chatting to as many people as possible during this 3 day event. They are taking a stand in the church, surrounded by whisky people.

Why are MCLEANSCOTLAND there?  To advise and offer tours of Scottish whisky distilleries!

They are acknowledged as one of the leading (if not the best) whisky tour companies in Scotland, who says this? you ask;

their past clients have, many have sent messages saying it was the best ever tour, the best I have had, you are 5 star and the best there is.

Can a company get any better plaudits than happy guests?

They were also at Glasgow whisky live; “a wee bit disappointing in the number of distilleries that were NOT there” said Paul McLean.

But, over in Moscow; their very good friend Tim met up with another Maclean; Charlie Maclean.  Tim met up with Charlie who signed his book and aye, they had a wee chat about MCLEANSCOTLAND (picture).

Tim & Charlie

So all whisky lovers attending the Holland whisky live, so pop around to say hello to Liz and Paul (MCLEANSCOTLAND) pictured here.

Oh Paul, are you drinking WINE???

MCLEANSCOTLAND

www.mcleanscotland.com

info@mcleanscotland.com

Handpicked Malt

OLD PULTENEY 12YO
£19.99 per bottle
Only
Save£7 per bottle Was £26.99

Hailing from the port town of Wick, Old Pulteney 12 YO is a fantastic expression of the Highland style. Full of vibrant citrus notes allied to an elegant, elusively sweet character dusted with sea salt, this is a must-have malt at an unmissable price!

BLENDED Whiskies

J & B Rare 70cl Save £3 16.99 13.99
Maker’s Mark Bourbon 70cl Save £5 24.99 19.99

Single MALTS

Old Pulteney 12YO 70cl Save £7 26.99 19.99
Isle of Jura 10YO 70cl Save £5 25.99 20.99
BenRiach 12 YO Save £6 28.99 22.99
Caol Ila 12YO 70cl Save £5 31.99 26.99
Clynelish 14YO 70cl Save £5 33.99 28.99

Prices valid October 11th through November 7th, 2010

To find a location near you visit www.oddbins.com

Whiskey A Global History by Kevin R. Kosar

A Manhattan or a Sazerac; neat, on the rocks, or with a splash of soda—no matter how it’s served up, whiskey is synonymous with the poet’s inspiration and the devil’s spirit. Be it bourbon, rye, corn, Irish, or Scotch, whiskey has an infamous and celebrated history from a sometimes lethal, herb-infused concoction to a highquality, meticulously crafted liquor.

In Whiskey, Kevin R. Kosar delivers an informative, concise narrative of the drink’s history, from its obscure medieval origins to the globally traded product that it is today. Focusing on three nations—Scotland, Ireland, and America—Kosar charts how the technique of distillation moved from ancient Egypt to the British Isles. Contrary to popular claims, there were no good old days of whiskey: before the twentieth century, consumers could never be sure just what was being poured in their cup— unscrupulous profiteers could distill anything into booze and pawn it off as whiskey. Eventually, government and industry established legal definitions of what whiskey is and how it could be made, allowing for the distinctive styles of whiskey known today.

Whiskey explains what whiskey is, how it is made, and how the types of whiskey differ. With a list of suggested brands and classic cocktail recipes for the thirsty reader, this book is perfect for drink and food enthusiasts and history lovers alike.

Available October 2010

Cloth ISBN: 978-1-86189-780-0 • $15.95
Published by Reaktion Books and distributed by the
University of Chicago Press

Mail Orders to:

University of Chicago Press, 11030 S. Langley Avenue, Chicago, IL 60628
Telephone: 1-800-621-2736 (U.S.A. only); 773-568-1550
Facsimile: 1-800-621-8476 (U.S.A. only); 773-660-2235
e-mail: orders@press.uchicago.edu
website http://www.press.uchicago.edu

Please visit the Washington Post to read their rave review;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/05/AR2010100502103.html

Single Malt Scotch Whisky Tastings: Second Saturday Scotch Sipping at Six

2nd Saturday    every month    6 – 9 p.m.    no reservation required
 
Enjoy light hors d’oeuvres to cleanse your palate between 5 half-ounce samples of single malt Scotch whisky: $20. (Cash bar for non-whisky drinkers)

 ►  Enjoy 3 featured single malts, including a Malt of the Month *

 ►  Roll a die and choose a single malt from one of the six Scotch regions

 ►  Pick your connoisseur’s choice from our single malt Scotch whisky menu

October 9, 2010

Benromach 10 yo *

Speyburn 10 yo

Edradour Caledonia 12 yo

November 13, 2010

Old Pulteney 12 yo *

Ardmore Traditional Cask

GlenDronach 12 yo

December 11, 2010

New Beginnings:

This tasting will include three young, limited release whiskies from privately held distilleries: One’s a new distillery (Kilchoman Summer 2010 Release *), one’s a newly reopened distillery that sat silent for more than a century (Kilkerran 2009 Work in Progress), and  one’s a reopened distillery that had been mothballed for the better part of a decade (Bruichladdich 2001 Resurrection Dram)

January 8, 2011

Balvenie 12 yo DoubleWood *

Glenfiddich 15 yo

Deanston 12 yo un-chill filtered

February 12, 2011

Balblair 1997 *

Laphroaig Quarter Cask

Strathisla 12 yo

www.minersdelightinn.com

Bob at work....

Loch Fyne Whiskies has stocked a new item, ‘Lagavulin 1994 Distillers Edition’

Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1994/2010
43% abv
£59.90 inc vat
£50.98 ex vat

Bottled 2010

Transferred to a Pedro Ximinez (a rich unctuous sherry that the Spaniards put on their ice cream!) cask for finishing to develop a more tarry and smoky character.

Not necessarily better – but different – and has many fans.

Flavour Map Ref: J10
Rich / Smoky

Lagavulin 1994 Double Matured in Pedro Ximenez Cask Wood
Barcode: 5000281014036

Price excluding VAT: £50.98
£59.90 Including VAT at 17.5%

Best regards,
Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk
https://www.lfw.co.uk/

Dear Customer,

With Christmas in mind – sorry! – we are releasing as many as thirteen (13) OLD MALT CASK bottlings, three (3) OLD & RARE’s together with three (3) additions to the 20 cl range. Beyond these Malts are two (2) old Grains under the CLAN DENNY label.

Tasting notes for the OLD MALT CASK follow:

OMC1912 ALLT A’BHAINNE SHERRY 13 YEAR OLD
Nose: Sweet, carrying a honey & chocolate cereal quality
Palate: Still sweet – now warms to rich spices and caramelized nuts
Finish: The spicy sweetness runs through on the gristy finish (J)

OMC1845 CLYNELISH 13 YEAR OLD
Nose: Barleyed, honeyed, oaked, spicy and citric
Palate: The very distinct honey dominates late oak and grist
Finish: Lightly smoked, rather spiced, very sweet (F)

OMC1911 CRAGGANMORE 13 YEAR OLD
Nose: Opens fresh/grassy/gristy – runs to a floral/heathery style
Palate: Elegant – carries a herbal, green fruit character with chamomile
Finish: Medium long, barley sugared with more spice appearing late (J)

OMC1898 HIGHLAND PARK 13 YEAR OLD
Nose: Honey sweet – with barley and a hairdressing style.
Palate: Initially toffee’d then dry earthy, dark peat kicks in.
Finish: Still earthy + waves of more toffee and light smoke. (F)

OMC1896 TOBERMORY REFILL SHERRY BUTT 15 YEAR OLD
Nose: Clean, fresh, salty, spiced and gristy dry.
Palate: Peppery hot with sweet barley and more spice.
Finish: Barleyed, sweetly spiced, with some cough drops warmth. (F)

OMC1913 GLEN SCOTIA 18 YEAR OLD
Nose: Toffee & shortbread, dried fruit + a buttery sweet character
Palate: Opens sweetly, then warmingly spiced + a dry oaky style
Finish: Long, dry, runs to a nutty/late herbal (camomile?) quality (J)

OMC1910 AUCHENTOSHAN 20 YEAR OLD
Nose: Gristy sweet + macerated oranges + late ripe bananas
Palate: Still fruitily sweet (fermented bananas) + a sherbet zing
Finish: Long, carries a ripe fruit style + dried raisins + sweet ginger (J)

OMC1895 ROSEBANK 20 YEAR OLD
Nose: Soft and subtly herbal sweet – aperitif style.
Palate: Still herbal + crunched white sugar and camphor.
Finish: Now drier – herbal – spiced – Italian digistif style (F).

OMC1914 ST MAGDALENE 27 YEAR OLD
Nose: Fresh and florally sweet – runs to minted fruit salad
Palate: Interesting/warming character – still sweet, now with spices
Finish: The fruit quality returns + a liqueur chocolate aspect (J)

OMC1916 TEANINCH 27 YEAR OLD
Nose: Opens sweetly and carries a spicy caramelized fruit quality
Palate: Very gentle + a toffee & milk chocolate character
Finish: Round + vanilla tablet + gentle spices that linger (J)

OMC1917 INCHGOWER 28 YEAR OLD
Nose: Fresh, coconut cream style + macerated oranges and toffee
Palate: Sweet & spicy + a sweet walnuts & coffee cake character
Finish: Long, still sweet + coffee and dark chocolate late (J)

OMC1925 PORT ELLEN 27 YEAR OLD
Nose: Lightly tarred – distinctly phenolic – now rather dry.
Palate: Initially very dry – peated as it warms – earthy.
Finish: Distinctly Islay in style still – oily, creosoted, salty (F)

OMC1909 LINKWOOD 28 YEAR OLD
Nose: Sweet & spicy, with a toffee and caramelized apple quality
Palate: Initially toffee’d – runs to attractive malt, spices + dried fruit + oak
Finish: Cedar wood – still spicy + a sweet liquorice root character (J)

Tasting Notes for OLD & RARE:

OAR0102 ARDBEG 19 YEAR OLD
Initially barley sweet with vanilla fudge and subtle spices – it then warms through a certain citric style to something more salty, and darkly peated. That citrus is still apparent on its soft early palate – with some chocolate? – which then heads to a Fisherman’s Friend spiced style plus vanilla and more peat. On the finish detect the cough drop’s camphor, smoke, and liquorice – with a late ongoing and long lasting beachy and long lasting phenolic quality. (F)

OAR0108 TAMDHU 20 YEAR OLD
Its deep amber colour reveals its Sherry cask maturation – reflected by a nose full of dark oily macerated/liquor soaked fruit, beeswax and spice. The palate is massively spiced – yes with a bit of oak apparent too – tending to late dryness. Seville orange marmalade on light burnt toast finishes. (F)

OAR0105 PORT ELLEN 30 YEAR OLD
Quite distinctly and interestingly citric on the nose – anticipate and detect also a bonfire ash style allied to homebaked scones. Palatewise the sweetness is carried over – then heads into soft summer tar, and dry soot with a drift of sweet smoke. Long on the finish – it is very camphor and (old fashioned) cough drop in style.

The 3 20 cl ADVANCE SAMPLES are:

SMC0374 MACDUFF 10 YEAR OLD
SMC0376 HIGHLAND PARK 13 YEAR OLD
SMC0375 CLYNELISH 13 YEAR OLD

Lastly Tasting Notes for the CLAN DENNY GRAIN:

DEN0045 STRATHCLYDE BOURBON 40 YEAR OLD
On the nose, detect sweet spices, caramelised peaches, toffee and vanilla. The mouth coating palate is still sweetly spiced and carries a creamy caramel quality with coconut and milk chocolate. The sweet spices run through on the finish and develop to an interesting orange pith character. (J)

DEN0046 INVERGORDON BOURBON 45 YEAR OLD
Opens sweetly on the nose and carries a concentrated vanilla quality plus gentle spices. Vanilla returns on the rich, mouthcoating palate – now with a caramel and coffee quality. For a Single Grain, the finish is interestingly long – now with honey and more vanilla… very dessert-like. (J)

We believe that is an interesting new selection from all the Scottish regions – hoping that you similarly agree.

Yours faithfully
Fred Laing
Managing Director

Visit Douglas Laing at www.douglaslaingwhisky.com

“It’s smokey and it’s peaty and it’s called Joe ! Ralfy presents another Vlog called ….

Whisky Review #152 – Smokey Joe

A good example of a MaltBlend type of Scotch, … a blend of Single Malts from different Distilleries, bottled at 46%, non chill-filtered and (probably) no Caramel added either. … and it works.”

www.ralfy.com

England v Scotland in Single Cask Rivalry

6 October 2010, Dumgoyne: Award-winning Glengoyne Distillery has  challenged some of England’s best known and highly respected independent whisky retailers to select a rare limited edition single cask from the Glengoyne warehouses that they would be proud to name The English Merchants’ Choice. This will be the second Merchants’ Choice Single Cask bottling release, with the first being chosen by a team of Scottish specialist retailers.

Taking place in Glengoyne Distillery’s state-of-the-art Blending Room, the group of six whisky connoisseurs nosed, sampled and debated a wide range of Glengoyne’s finest single cask malts before collectively selecting a 13 Years Old European Oak Sherry Hogshead cask, bottled at 54.6% vol to have the honorary title of The English Merchants’ Choice.

Not only tasked with selecting this exceptional single cask, the Merchants had to unanimously agree on all of the Merchants’ Choice values, from the bottle, packaging, label design and wording, to its name and tasting notes. 

The final tasting notes from the selection panel included an appearance of light straw with a nose of green apples, vanilla and leather followed by notes of ginger bread and orange peel on the palate. The bottling was also described as bold, elegant and delicately balanced.

Iain Weir, Marketing Director for Ian Macleod Distillers, brand owners of Glengoyne commented: “We had a fantastic response to our Scottish Merchants’ Choice release in December 2009 and thought a bit of healthy North-South rivalry had some great potential.”

“It is a novel proposition allowing our Merchants to select their own bottling but with their expert knowledge and passion for whisky, they were bound to pick a winner from Glengoyne’s finest casks. Now we will just wait to see which proves more popular – the English or Scottish selection.”

Just 291 bottles of this limited edition bottling are available now (UK only), from the six selection panel whisky specialists (see below), with an RRP of £105.00

With special thanks to:

Ben Ellefsen (Master of Malt)

David Gardener (Nickolls & Perks)

Isabel Graham-Yooll (Milroy’s)

Michael Hopert (Royal Mile Whiskies London)

Malcolm Mullin (The Vintage House) 

Mark Rowe (Constantine Stores)

For further information visit Glengoyne Distillery at visit www.glengoyne.com

Notes:

Tasting notes

SINGLE CASK-  The English Merchants’ Choice 1997 (13 Years Old)
 
Description

Appearance: Mahogany/Iroko

Nose: Raisins and citrus developing to sweeter mocha with a hint of leather

Palate: Intense complemented with orange peel and dried fruits

Finish: Delicate, yet bold and balanced
 
Wood Type- European Oak Sherry hogshead                                                                     
 
Cask No. 2716
 
No. of Bottles 291
 
Strength  54.6% vol                                                                                                    
 
Distillation Date 17th June 1997
 
Bottling Date 21 September 2010
 
Approved By  Ben Ellefsen (Master of Malt), David Gardener (Nickolls & Perks), Isabel Graham-Yooll (Milroys), Michael Hopert (Royal Mile Whiskies London), Malcolm Mullin (The Vintage House) and Mark Rowe (Constantine Stores)

We’d like to inform you that The Macallan will be holding Master Class Whisky Tastings in 6 markets this Fall. Together with global charity partner, Charity Water, we’ll uncork several of our older & rarer expressions including the Sherry Oak 25 Years Old and Fine Oak 30 Years Old. We’ll be holding Master Classes in the following markets & dates:

Chicago – October 15th

Denver – October 22nd

San Francisco – October 30th

Los Angeles – November 5th

New York – December 4th

Boston – December 10th

The events will be held from 6:30-8:30PM and we’ll be pouring the Sherry Oak 12, Fine Oak 15, Fine Oak 17, & Sherry Oak 18. We’ll be sampling the Fine Oak 21, Sherry Oak 25, Fine Oak 30 and as a surprise The Macallan Cask Strength expression. Family style food will be offered as well as a chance to ask the National Brand Ambassador in-depth questions.

Please visit this link for more details: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/899397121

Dave Broom will be in New York City October 26th from 5PM to 7Pm for a book signing for his new book The World Altlas of Whisky at the Brandy Library.

& 27 if you are interested in an interview.