Whiskey

This might look like Neil (top) and Joel (bottom), but really it's the movie poster. Honest.There are elements to writing where, sometimes, inspiration just doesn’t hit. Reporting fact, you can’t go too wrong: you already have a narrative of facts set out in front of you, the skill is ordering it for the reader, to make it make sense, even if there is no conclusion. With creative writing, you’re faced with a blank page and off you go. If there is nothing there, then there is little else you can do than wait. And wait. And wait some more.How does one get around this blank slate, this empty void, this deserted page? Well, if you’re the brilliant Coen brothers, the movie writers/makers/producers (and a second nod in as many weeks for one of the Coen brothers, Joel, who is also a writer on The Simpsons) then, when faced with this situation, you write a movie about it. Which is exactly what happened when, mid-way through writing their film Miller’s Crossing, the pair were hit with writers block. To clear the creative dam, they wrote Barton Fink, a story about a holywood scriptwriter inflicted with the same problem."We're only interested in one thing, Bart. Can you tell a story? Can you make us laugh? Can you make us cry? Can you make us want to break out in joyous song? Is that more than one thing? Okay!" – Jack Lipnick, Barton FinkOften, it can feel a little like this, when sitting down to write this blog. We’re lucky- we have facts we can report. But who wants a repetition of what’s written on the label of a bottle? If you want that, go and read the label on the bottle. We have tasting notes- that’s always a help. But writing the rest... that can be a real challenge at times. However, let’s face it, the best stories told are by the whiskies from the casks. Be they three years and a day old, or somewhere approaching four decades of age, these are the true story-tellers of the business; they’re the raconteurs who will leave you wanting more, posing questions and generally leaving you thinking that you’ve had a wonderful time. They are the true marketers, the true brand ambassadors, the stars of any tasting. Simple, yet complex at the same time, it is their richness of experience which you have paid for, their headline slot the turn for which you wait.The release of the new Balvenie Tun 1401 seems to have become an annual staple in the whisky calendar, and what a good thing that is. Not a duffer yet in the already eight strong line of releases, it started with just 300 bottles of the Batch 1 (now an true ‘investment grade’ whisky, whatever that means) which we reviewed here (even looking at each of the invidivual casks which went in to it) and this week saw the release of the latest batch.The Tun holds around 2000 litresand each batch is created my their Malt Master, David Stewart. As this is made up of 12 casks, the most yet (ranging from the 1970’s up to 1991), with three of the casks being European oak and the rest coming from America, it’s outturn is around 2500 bottles worldwide. The Balvenie – Tune 1401 – Batch 8 – 50.2% abv - £220 available hereNose: A big nose crammed with rich apricot jam, honey, freshly cut ginger, toffee, cinnamon and liquorice. It is a heavy nose; big and rich and befitting of a well aged whisky.Palate: Ginger cake, very rich and oily honey. Hints of Four Roses single barrel bourbon coming through (big red cherries and hot strawberry jam) with fresh vanilla pods. Some cinnamon.Finish: Toffee apples, spices and that honey note again.Overall: This is not a slugger of a dram. The Balvenie makes some very quaffable whiskies (their doublewood is a whisky you can pretty much throw the cork away on, and their new 15yo single barrel release, reviewed here, isn’t far behind) but this is a totally different beast: still very much The Balvenie, but it is big and rich and demands you take time over it. The sort of dram you want to take a lot of time over. It also develops well with water, so if you do get hold of

Post by Stefan Van Eycken, Tokyo Tickets are on sale for a very special whisky event – now in its third edition – held in the green pastures of Nagawacho in Nagano-prefecture. Whereas the previous editions were one-day events, this year’s “Outdoor Whisky Festival” has been turned into a two-day extravaganza (21-22 September). Mamoru Tsuchiya, head honcho of the Scotch Whisky Research Centre, set up the festival in 2011. At the time, Nagano was the only prefecture to boast two distilleries (Karuizawa and Mars Shinshu) so the idea was to celebrate the start of autumn in an outdoor setting located between those two distilleries: the Blanche Takayama Ski Resort. Unfortunately, Karuizawa distillery is no longer, but the festival is very much alive. About 150 whiskies are available for sampling – including some very rare bottlings for a few hundred yen extra -; there are food booths (most of them featuring local Shinshu specialties); there’s live music (two singer-songwriters and a recorder quartet this year), a barbecue, soba making, workshops and much else. The event is ridiculously cheap (2,500 yen for the weekend; 1,000 yen for the Saturday only and 1,500 yen for the Sunday only). Check this for more information. Also, don’t forget the “Whisky Festival in Osaka”, organized by the same people, is almost upon us (July 7th, to be precise) – if you missed the Tokyo edition, this is a good chance to catch up on what’s been happening in Japan on the whisky front.

I’ve been meaning to try the new 1824 series for some time now, and fortunately been able to score a wee sample of each. I suggest you have a look at Phil’s guest post about the launch event of this series of whiskies, where you can find some more background info. So this first one is the cheapest of all ...

US beverage testers give Gold Medal to top selling Tasmanian whisky   SULLIVANS COVE, Tasmania’s super-premium single malt, was recently awarded a gold medal by the Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago. This award, from one of the world’s leading independent beverage reviewers, was given to the distillery’s Double Cask expression. It adds to Sullivans Cove’s list of prestigious international awards, which includes three Liquid Gold Awards from Jim Murray, and “Best Australian Single Malt” from the World Whisky Awards in London. Chief distiller Patrick Maguire is of the opinion that a large part of Sullivans Cove’s huge domestic and international success is down to recognition from organizations such as the Beverage Testing Institute. He went on to say; “Things are going well, we are up 50% on last year and Sullivans Cove is now the biggest selling Tasmanian whisky. Exports are booming with North America making up 80% of our overseas sales, and we have sent our first shipments to Hong Kong and Japan this past week. It is great to be involved in such an exciting industry during otherwise difficult economic times.” The sharp rise in demand has meant that the distillery is now working flat out to produce enough spirit. The Tasmanian whisky industry has seen very strong growth over the past two years and there are now eight functioning distilleries on the island with 2 more in the pipeline. About Sullivans Cove Tasmania Distillery produces Sullivans Cove Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky, Tasmania’s top selling whisky. Sullivans Cove whisky is double distilled using only Tasmanian barley and pure wilderness water from local mountains and forests. The whisky is matured in hand selected oak casks and allowed to settle and clear naturally, thereby retaining full, creamy and lingering flavours. Each cask is bottled separately, yielding only around 450 bottles, making each bottle a rare item to own and enjoy. http://www.sullivanscovewhisky.com/ About the Beverage Testing Institute The Beverage Testing Institute is an independent, privately owned corporation that conducts professional blind tastings and reviews of beverage products. The BTI does not accept advertising or sponsorship from any producer or commercial entity. Participation in BTI’s open-forum tastings and competitions is completely voluntary.

BLACK BULL AND ECURIE ECOSSE CHARGE AHEAD Sponsorship deal sealed which will see Black Bull as 2013 title sponsorship of the legendary Ecurie Ecosse racing team Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd are pleased to announce that their award winning Black Bull brand will be powering the Ecurie Ecosse racing team to the 2013 British GT and 2013 European Le Mans Series (GTC Class) Championships. Ecurie Ecosse is one of the most respected and influential privateer racing teams in racing history. Three Formula One World Champions and every Scottish Formula One winner has raced for Ecurie Ecosse, not to mention the success the team has had in racing championships around the world. Founded in 1951 by Edinburgh accountant David Murray, the team has won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans twice in 1956 and 1957, where they also finished 1st and 2nd, and under the stewardship of current owner, Hugh McCaig, were winners of the C2 World Sportscar Championship in 1986 and winners of the British Touring Car Championship in 1995. Black Bull is the original 100 proof blended Scotch whisky. First produced by the Dundee based blenders, George Willsher & Co., in the 1860’s, the brand came to prominence after the repeal of prohibition in the United States in the mid 1930’s. By the end of 1980’s, Black Bull was a well-known name in the U.S and throughout Europe, and was subsequently acquired by Duncan Taylor Scorch Whisky Ltd. Today, the brand is sold in more than 25 countries throughout the world, and has been decorated with many prestigious awards, including “Gold” and “Best in Class” International Spirits Challenge 2013, “Best Blended Scotch Whisky 21 Years & Over” World Whisky Awards 2012, “Best Blended Scotch Whisky” World Whisky Awards 2012, “Best Blended Scotch Whisky 12 Years and Under” World Whisky Awards 2011, “Gold” International Wines & Spirits Challenge 2011, “Gold” International Spirits Competition 2011, “Winner – Blend Category” Scottish Field Whisky Challenge 2011. Euan Shand, Chairman of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd said: “Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky are very pleased to be key sponsors of Ecurie Ecosse for the 2013 season, especially so in their pursuit of racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014, the world’s greatest motor race. The rich heritage shared by both companies and their pursuit of excellence in their respective fields in surely a recipe for achieving that goal. Ecurie Ecosse’s current dominance in both championships is a wonderful opportunity to bring the Duncan Taylor’s Black Bull 100 Proof blended whisky brand to the attention of a new audience.” Oliver Bryant, Ecurie Ecosse Director and driver added: “For Ecurie Ecosse to initiate a new alliance with a major brand like Black Bull is a terrific opportunity for European promotional activity. Indeed, we are already discussing a number of innovative activation strategies with Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky for implementation throughout the year…This partnership is a great match: both are world-class Scottish brands with a rich heritage and pedigree who share the same goal of being at Le Mans 2014.” Ecurie Ecosse currently leads the points’ standings in both the British GT Championship and European Le Mans Series (GTC Class). Black Bull branding will appear on the squad’s BMW Z4 GT3 for the first time at this weekend’s British GT round at Snetterton in the UK on June 15/16, while the next round of the European Le Mans Series takes the team to the Red Bull Ring in Austria on July 19/20. About Duncan Taylor Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd is an award winning Scotch whisky merchant, blender, bottler, and cask broker. The company was founded in 1938, but with origins dating back to 1864, the company over the decades has built up one of the largest privately owned collections of rare and vintage casks of whisky in the world. Under the direction of Euan Shand, current owner and chairman, the independent, family owned company, has expanded into blending and bottling, subsequently pro

TWE Karuizawa Whisky Trip Pt.9: More Whisky Bars Welcome to the concluding episode of Tim F’s series of whisky adventures in Japan, in which more whisky bars are visited. Time-rich insomniacs can find the previous instalments here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. It was with some trepidation that I approached the next … Continue reading >>

The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 8 has just arrived and is available to order now. Very limited and only available while stocks last. The latest single malt release from Balvenie, the Tun Batch 8, has been released exclusively for the UK. A marriage of whisky from nine new American oak barrels and three European oak Sherry casks, Batch 8 has been married in Tun 1401 for several months before being bottled at 50.2% abv. Jonathan Cornthwaite, the brand manager for The Balvenie at UK explained: “The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 8 is a fine expression of the artistry employed by malt master, David Stewart and the traditional techniques used at the distillery to make high class single malt Scotch whisky.”. Simply Click To Buy – Only £199.99

Tasting Notes: Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 8 The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 8 launch was last night at the Balvenie whisky fete (still running today and tomorrow, 12 until 6pm) and I was fortunate enough to be on the invite list. Working for the company running the … Continue reading >>

TastToe is still one of my favourite whisky shops in Belgium. Ordering online is nice but nothing beats the experience of browsing through shelves and trying a few samples before you make a choice. Apart from the Karuizawa 1981 cask #4333 which was more or less the highlight of the event, a table full of open bottles was available to try. Here are a few informal impressions of other things I’ve tried (don’t expect detailed tasting notes): Glen Spey 35 yo 1978 (52,1%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams for Drankenshop Broekmans 2013) Strange. The website of Broekmans mentions 1977 (like similar releases from other bottlers) but the label says 1978. Anyway not many Glen Spey around. Rather sweet and fruity, with a slightly candied character and soft grassy / spicy notes but also an alcoholic kick. Just nice. Around € 160. Glenfarclas 25 yo Quarter Casks (42,4%, OB 2012, 905 btl.) Balanced sherry with lots of red berry candy and hints of marshmallows on the nose. Some beehive notes. Slightly underpowered on the palate, with a watery impression. Juicy sherry flavours though. Good but overpriced. Around € 210. Nikka Yoichi 1989 (60%, OB 2012, hogshead #206497) Rather peaty for Yoichi standards. Nice profile: peat mixed with bright fruity aromas and oriental spices. Seemingly less complex than other Yoichi casks though. Around € 220. Glenglassaugh 32 yo 1979 (43%, Signatory Vintage 2012, hogshead #1543, 255 btl.) Sister casks #1544-1548 were bottled before. Overripe melon and banana with sweet malt on the nose. Not as fresh as I hoped. Sweet, fruity palate. Good whisky but disappointing compared to the wonderful 1960’s – early 1970’s Glenglassaugh profile. Around € 180. Nikka Taketsuru 25 yo (43%, OB 2012, ref. 10B30B) Composed of malts from Yoichi and Miyagikyo. The new flagship now the 35yo is gone. Floral, fruity, honeyed, with a lot of varnished oak. “designed” in a good way. Sweet, elegant and honeyed on the palate. Very good, but not € 750 good.

Sweet with tangy, tingling, peppery heat, and rich, mouth-coating caramels. Ginger, cloves and white pepper with hints of green fruit and wet slate slide smoothly down your throat. ???? Those who rely on age statements to tell them whether or not they are enjoying a certain whisky, can now gain confidence in their own palates. Coyote Ugly is three-year-old whisky that is simply loaded with flavour. Is it mixing whisky? Well a dash or two of ginger ale won’t do it any harm if that’s what you like. A sipper? Again, as you wish. But if you really want to appreciate Coyote Ugly the way it is meant to be appreciated, try something new – shoot it. Yes. This is genuine, designed-for-shooting, brawny-flavoured, brazen-yet-smooth-as-silk, three-year-old shooting whisky that will open new tasting vistas: Not only do age statements not necessarily tell us anything we need to know about whisky, but also, sipping by the fire immersed in intellectual conversation (or contemplation, or whatever) is not the only way to find pleasure in aged grain spirits. No, hop right up on the bar with this baby (or your coffee table,) shoot it straight back, wipe your mouth, yelp a little, then pour yourself another. In the summer of 2000 my son and I visited the Wellfleet Drive-In for a double feature. One of the shows is completely forgotten but we still talk about the other: Coyote Ugly. The gist? According to IMDb, “Aspiring songwriter Violet Sanford, after getting a job at a women-run NYC bar that teases its male patrons, comes out of her shell.” All I remember is a lot of undiluted whisky being poured down dozens of seemingly parched gullets by scantily dressed twenty-year-olds who liked money and staying firmly in control. The movie was based on the story of an enterprising young woman named Liliana Lovell who opened her first Coyote Ugly Saloon in 1993 in New York City. Honestly, I watched the movie and I had no idea there was a story. But the whisky? Try a shot or two and see if it doesn’t spin a tale of its own. Nose: Round, luscious caramels, hints of vanilla and kiwi fruit. The spirited tones of good bar whisky, with just hints of rye spices. Palate: Sweet with tangy, tingling, peppery heat, and richly mouth-coating caramels. Almost slippery with suggestions of oak, wet slate and gooseberries, which lead into pleasing bitter pith in the middle. Ginger, cloves and white pepper easily punch their way out of über caramels, then the peppery glow just slides down your throat. Smooth, smooth, SMOOTH and very quaffable, it’s a real shooter! Finish: Peppery hot in a wash of slowly fading caramel. Medium to long fade on butterscotch, heat and lingering citrus pith. Empty glass: Toffee, hints of firewood. $30.00 (U.S.A.) Recommended. ????