Scotch

Earlier this week, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a one-off tasting event at the Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, NY put on by The House of Suntory Whisky and chefs David Bouley and Isao Yamada of Bouley and Brushstroke restaurants, respectively. This collaboration between the House of Suntory and the two Michelin-starred restaurants was nothing short of extraordinary, especially given that the whole event occurred amongst Isamo Noguchi's sculptures in a clean, open museum interior and a gorgeous Japanese rock garden outside. Suntory's global brand ambassador, Mike Miyamoto and chef David Bouley introduced the whisky tasting and an "interpretive kaiseki-style food-pairing menu." Of course, at the time, I had no idea exactly what was meant by that last bit. Shortly thereafter, however, I came to understand that whatever else it entailed, it apparently also meant elegant and delicious. It was also the best pairing of food with whisky I've ever experienced. Easily. The event began with a tasting of three whiskies at standing tables in the sculpture garden: the Yamazaki 18, the Hibiki 21, and the Hakushu 25. The last of these I'd never had, and of course I found myself comparing it to the Hakushu 12 (which they had served us in a great highball as we walked in). To put it in very general terms, the Hakushu 25 is to the Hakushu 12 as the Laphroaig 18 is to the Laphroaig 10--only the level of subtlety is much higher in both of the Hakushu expressions. Oh, and I learned that it's pronounced more like HOCK-shoo (emphasis very much on the first syllable). Now, go back and re-read this paragraph and pronounce "Hakushu" correctly this time. Good. Well done. With that Hakushu 12 Highball, the chefs paired a canape of green apple meringue with smoked salmon roe, trout roe, and white truffle honey, and also a small plate of press sushi with Sansho pepper and bamboo shoot, served with kinome leaf. Inside, Suntory U.S. (East) Brand Ambassador Gardner Dunn hand carved huge ice balls for a drink termed--interestingly enough--the "Hibiki Ice Ball." Paired with that big bag ball o' ice drenched in Hibiki 12 were...well, I'll come back to that, because those two were my favorites of the night. Also inside was a station devoted to making a drink called the "Yamazaki Mizuwari," which blended Yamazaki 12 with a little water and (much smaller pieces of) ice. With that drink, the chefs paired a canape of wild mushrooms with toro and a foam of spring garlic and coconut as well as a small plate of organic wild duckling with Nevada dates and Canadian wild rice and topped with kumquat. I enjoyed the duckling plate quite a lot, but I think that in my case, the multinational character of the dish pleased me (would've been even better if they'd specified that the duckling was Chilean), as did the word, "kumquat." Really, how do you beat "kumquat"?!? I'll tell you how: you pair an oddly named drink with two of the better dishes of the night. Of course, I'm talking about the eponymous Hibiki Ice Ball and the canape of Wagyu beef jerky served with watercress and sesame. Let me just let that sink in for a second. Yep, that's right: jerky made from Wagyu beef. Unbelievable, both in concept and execution. I had at least three. And since at that point in the night, a waiter called Jean-Luc was serving them, I immediately deemed him the very best of the servers (and my favorite). More on him later. The small plate paired with the Hibiki Ice Ball was Chawan-Mushi, a Japanese egg custard served with a rich dashi broth. Now, let me be clear: I am not a fan of egg custard, egg curd, or really any other way of cooking eggs--other than scrambled (and even then, there's a lot of Tabasco involved). That said, not only was the Chawan-Mushi exquisitely presented (see the pic to the left), but it was fantastic: so silky and creamy and light, and beautifully contrasted with the strength of the broth flavor. And pai

This single cask from "Blairfindy," believed to reside in the valley of the green grass, was filled in 1997 and bottled in 2012. As with all the Raw Cask releases there's a bit of cask ash in the bottle (you can see it in the photo to the right). Bottled at a natural cask strength of 57% Alc., this can be found for $110. There were only 289 bottles filled so be quick if you're interested in a bottle.C: Weak green teaN: Toffee apples (especially the stick that is inside the apple), Pez candy, US Smarties, pear skin, green bananas and just a hint of sour cheese in the distant backgroundP: Creamy on entry, wood spice and freshly grated ginger come in quickly leaving behind vanilla toffee, raisins, and brazil nuts with, again, a hint of sour cheese in the distant background before transitioning into the finish with the slightest puff of wood smokeF: Moderate length with hints of wood smoke, wintergreen, and baking chocolateIn conclusion: I first tasted this last year at WhiskyLive Boston with Jewmalt. He went gaga for this release but I wasn't nearly as excited. It's a fine dram and all but it doesn't have any notes that really excite me.Sincere thanks to RS for the official sample.

In just 7 days time a crack team of MoMers (MoMists? MoMians? Something that sounds less like a cult?) will be setting off in the direction of the Fèis Ìle whisky festival on Islay! Excitingly, as mentioned in our earlier Islay blog post, we will be running 3 Competitions while we are out there! The time has now come to break it down even further with a little more detail on each competition starting with numero uno... DX like to Break it Down. (Or is that just some student type in fancy dress? I couldn’t possibly comment...) Competition number 1 is really very, very simple – if you see the infamous Malt Mobile on your travels between 24th May and 2nd June 2013 then you’ll probably notice that we’re either in it or near it - accost us at once to claim your prizes! -FREE sample of the brand new Caol Ila - Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)! -FREE limited edition Feis Ile 2013 T-shirt! WIN: Caol Ila – Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) 3cl Sample WIN: Limited Edition That Boutique-y Whisky Company Feis Ile 2013 T-shirt T-Shirt detail Don’t let him get away! The full bottles of That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s new Caol Ila will be launched next week to mark our third visit to Islay’s annual whisky festival, until then, here’s a sneak peek at our latest comic book-style label... What could be worrying this distillery worker? Jake

Tobermory 17 yo 1995/2013 (54.9%, Single Cask Collection, bourbon hogshead, cask #699, 251 bottles) - Tobermory 39 yo 1972/2012 (49.9%, Alambic Classique, oloroso sherry cask, cask #12307, 139 bottles) - Vasti Jackson

Guid Scotch Drink receives a number of press releases every day. Rather than condense them into a separate weekly post I've decided to post the most interesting in their entirety, without editorializing.While some malt whisky enthusiasts claim they will go to the ends of the earth in pursuit of their passion, Speyside hotelier Duncan Elphick has just about done that.Not only does he make frequent 18,000-mile round trips to Japan to promote single malt Scotch whisky but his Highlander Inn in Craigellachie – the heart of Scotland’s malt whisky industry - has the largest collection of Japanese single malts outside south-east Asia.And for the past 12 years Duncan has employed experts directly from Japan to ensure that his customers and the hundreds of whisky connoisseurs who visit each year get the full Japanese malt whisky experience.Until recently the role of whisky ‘otaku’ –it translates roughly as fanatic-was held by Yumi Yoshikawa who is about to return to Japan. Her successor, Mayu Hamanisi, from Osaka is expected take up her role at the Highander Inn, recently voted one of the top 50 whisky bars in the world by the influential Whisky Magazine, in a few weeks’ time.Duncan, who is gearing up for an influx of visitors during the annual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival from May 2-6, says, “My own journey into the world of malt whisky began with a visit to the Glenfiddich Distillery in l979 and I have been on that journey ever since. You just never stop learning and finding out something new.“Just because the hotel is at the very epicentre of the Speyside whisky industry, I have no problem whatsoever in stocking and displaying Japanese malt whisky alongside our collection of around 400 different malts from Scotland.“But if anyone questions it, I remind them that a Japanese single malt -Yamazaki 25- year- old - has been voted the best single malt in the world for the past four years running.”Only 200 were released in Europe and there is a bottle of the precious liquid behind the bar at the Highlander Inn. Even at £50 for a small measure, quite a few have been enjoyed over the years.The winning whisky was made by the Suntory company which was founded in 1923 whose master distiller and creator of Japan’s first single malt was Masataka Taketsuru. He learned his craft at Glasgow University and by visiting countless distilleries in Scotland. He married Rita Cowan, a doctor’s daughter from Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow, and today the couple have legendary status in Japan where they are known as the mother and father of the Japanese whisky industry.Duncan may not have statues erected to him for his support of the whisky industry but nevertheless dedicated whisky lovers regard The Highlander, built as a private house in 1880s before becoming a bar in the l960s, as a shrine to the single malt.Before buying The Highlander, Duncan, who previously worked in Africa, Iraq and Zimbabwe was appointed manager of the nearby Craigellachie Hotel in l997. At that time it had a collection of over 500 single malts in its famous Quaich Bar.He bought the Highlander in 2005. He explains, “We couldn’t compete with some of the other bars in terms of numbers so we went for more interesting, unusual and older bottlings, such as those from the 1970s and 1980s. We have quite a lot of independent bottling, too, and ones which you just can’t get anywhere else.Duncan, a former chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, added: “I like to think that my staff and I have helped raise the profile of malt whisky - and made The Highlander one of the most popular venues during the Festival - because we are all passionate.“It’s not just about having shelves full of rare and interesting malts. If you don't have both the necessary knowledge and passion, all those bottles become expensive decoration.”

Something this way mysterious came…and went! If you’ve been paying attention to whisky news, you’ll have heard about The Glenlivet’s new release: The Glenlivet Alpha. This Single Malt Scotch Whisky was bottled with the minimum legal information allowed in order to encourage whisky drinkers to “master their senses” and not be influenced by age statements, the colour of the whisky, or any other characteristics. Everyone likes a bit of mystery... If you weren’t lucky enough to purchase a full-sized bottle of The Glenlivet Alpha, never fear! We’ll be giving away 5 (count ‘em) 5 drams of this ever-so-delicious and mysterious single malt. All you have to do to enter is visit our Facebook page and answer the Glenlivet Question of the Day. That’s what our Facebook page looks like... From tomorrow, 17 May, we’ll post 1 question per day over 5 days. There will be only 1 winner for each day. Now for some rules: in order for your entry to count, you’ve got to answer the question correctly (you didn’t think you wouldn’t have to, did you?) and you have to “like” our Facebook page. You've also got to be of legal drinking age, of course. The prize! We’ll post each question at 9am GMT, and you’ll have until 6pm GMT to complete your entry. We’ll announce all the winners on the 24th of May, 2013! Good luck, and may you Master Your Senses! Masters of the Senses

Blackadder's successful Raw Cask series is known for more than quality whisky. They also had the good sense to add a bit of "cask ash" to each and every bottle. It's a genius marketing trick and even though I see right through it I absolutely love it! Shake the bottle and watch the ash swirl around in circles before settling like the glittery fake snow in a child's snow globe. Then shake it again...Peat Reek is a single cask 13 Year Old bottled at 61.5% Alc. No name is attached to the bottling but one wonders if we're dealing with another unlabelled Caol Ila cask. Bottled in 2011 there are still some bottles available in the US. Binny's, for example, have limited numbers available for $110 a bottle.An Approximation of the Peat Reek BottleC: Bright goldN: The peat is there, for sure, up front and in your face (think scorched earth) but there's also a fruitiness (slightly melted Fruit Salad chews) and a bright cleanliness (freshly cleaned milk bottles and swimming pool changing room tiles) that ultimately ends with botanical notes (sage brush and gorse)P: Terrifically buttery texture on entry with salt and some alcohol heat (it is 61.5% afterall!) that leads to a big peaty explosion on the back of the palate that dries out the roof of the mouthF: The peat lingers for a good while but the bright cleanliness from the nose is also present here and helps to counter some of the peaty aggressionIn conclusion: More than a one trick peat monster, the subtle fruit and bright cleanliness help to give this peat-forward malt a complexity that could have been ignored in favor of MORE PEAT! This is a drinker rather than a party piece.Sincere thanks to RS for the official sample.

Guid Scotch Drink receives a number of press releases every day. Rather than condense them into a separate weekly post I've decided to post the most interesting in their entirety, without editorializing.The winners of some of the most coveted awards in the whisky industry have been revealed. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival announced the victorious malts in its hotly contested whisky awards at a ceremony at Knockando Distillery where an audience of connoisseurs, industry experts and visitors gathered last weekend.Voting in the awards was handed over to the public for the first time this year at a series of panels which toured the region during the Festival. The number of votes exceeded 200, with voters from as far afield as China submitting ballot papers.Almost 80 visitors attended the awards lunch to discover which of the acclaimed malts would be crowned winner of each section.Festival chairman James Campbell hosted the lunch, whilst Neil Grant of Forsyths of Rothes presented the awards to the winners.

Theatre! Whisky! Barbers! Cocktails! Surgeon’s Hall! 25th & 26th of May! Tickets here! I could continue on like this, writing a maximum of 5 words per sentence and then an exclamation mark. In fact, it may be a far easier way for me to write articles (although it may not be so fun for you, our [...]

Clynelish 15 yo 1997/2012 (46%, The Coopers Choice, sherry butt, cask #9112, 360 bottles) - Clynelish 15 yo 1997/2012 (53.2%, Chester Whisky, bourbon hogshead, 197 bottles) - Clynelish 14 yo 1997/2012 (54.8%, Whisky Tales, cask #6473, 120 bottles) - Clynelish 14 yo 1997/2011 (55.5%, Berry Bros & Rudd, USA, casks #4654-61) - Roman Carter