Whiskey

Greetings, ATW readers. Forgive my long time absence from mere discussion and opinion pieces.  I have no excuses, simply explanations.  I have a day job…beautiful kids…a stunning (and ever patient) wife…a liver to worry about…and…my focus has been elsewhere of late.  Namely…in blitzing the site with whisky reviews. You may have seen a very honest and articulate question bandied my way by a ‘whisky mate’ here on the site.  The exact post, for those that care to read it, was here.  I wanted to take the answers I was preparing there and put them front and center because I feel they are relevant, insightful and allow me an opportunity to share a bit of history and a few bits of advice. First off… I’m an average guy.  Just turned 35.  Office job which is quite contrary to the rest of my personality.  Music…tattoos…books…zombie flicks…guitars…an obsession with the mountains…that’s more the real me.  I’m a rather intense sort who swings from obsession to obsession, all embraced headlong and with a singular enthusiasm.  Sometimes they fade after a year or two.  Othertimes not.  Whisky is a case of the latter.  It is an interest that has monopolized much of my spare time for a few years now in one way or another. Contrary to what you might think…I don’t drink much.  A dram or two once or twice a week.  Maybe a couple on the weekend depending on plans and family time.  And then the occasional tasting flight I arrange.  One of the questions from ‘Skeptic’ specifically spoke to volume of consumption, mentioning a figure of medical recommendation to not exceed 100 ml a day.  F*ck.  That’s a lot of d(r)amage to the liver.  I am nowhere near that and not a daily drinker, by any means.  My nights of ‘blurring the lines’ are maybe once or twice a year.  Otherwise…I’m sort of a well-behaved lad.  Let’s face it…hangovers are not fun.  Especially with kids. I also don’t need a full dram to do my tasting/nosing notes and review.  After enough practice, you don’t need a lot.  Honestly.  Sit in on a tasting flight with me (and yes…that is a sincere offer if you are in town) and you will see what I mean.  The way it ‘usually’ works (a guide, not a rule) is I will pair up a few whiskies that logically associate, and bounce back and forth between them.  Reviewing one whisky at a time is not ideal.  If the opportunity presents, I will generally revisit the whiskies again at some point before publishing anything.  These revisits nearly always align with what my first impressions were.  It’s all about ensuring that each time you sit to nose whiskies, the conditions are favorable (i.e. you haven’t just eaten anything funky…your home hasn’t been spritzed with cleaning products or the smells of cooking…you don’t have a cold…etc).  If any of the aforementioned may be a factor…I abort and wait to be in the right ‘place’.  Otherwise, no matter how much you nose/taste, you’re still not gonna get what you need out of it. I mention this, as it ties back to a recent bombardment of reviews here on the website.  Just so we’re all on the same page…at any given time I have between 50 and 100 reviews in ‘draft’ format.  They may have a complete write-up, but no tasting notes…or contrarily…complete tasting notes, but the muse has not yet whispered in my ear what exactly to say about the whisky. This flurry of activity is not related to a period of heavy drinking.  Nor is it indicative of a change in anything to do with my personal constraints.  It is merely a refocusing of energies for a period here in an attempt to build up a solid database of reviews here on ATW.  Why?  Simply because this is a vanity project.  I want you to come here and read.  I want to share though

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey 47% ABV $45 to $50 Website What the Distillery Says: Single Barrel is matured in the highest reaches of our barrelhouse, where the dramatic changes in temperature cause its color and taste to deepen further. We still hand select each barrel for its robust taste and notes of toasted [...]

Barceló celebrates 3 decades of their high end offering with a limited edition bottling called Imperial Premium Blend. ________________________________________ Each year since Miguel Barceló first created Ron Barceló Imperial in 1980, private reserves of this prestigious ten-year-old blended rum were set aside for two years of additional aging. Held in barrels made from selected cuts of white oak, these reserves were blended to create the limited edition Imperial Premium Blend 30 Aniversario. Only 9,000 bottles of the Imperial Premium Blend are bottled annually, and of that 9,000 only 600 are allocated to the United States where this truly outstanding Dominican rum was recently introduced. “We wanted to honor the Barceló family tradition of blending the best preserved collection of naturally aged rum, and celebrate three decades of our signature rum, Barceló Imperial. Getting to the highest grade of excellence and seducing the most discerning tastes of our consumers around the world is our core motivation. We believe creativity is an integral part of rum making and this philosophy is evident in every drop of the Imperial Premium Blend,” states Ron Barceló Brand Ambassador, Roberto Jimenez. During the extensive aging process, the rum achieves an intense amber color, and the aroma is rich with hints of dried fruits, vanilla and caramel coated chocolate. The taste is that of an exquisitely aged rum with notes of mocha, melted toffee and spiced nuts. Each bottle is hand-numbered with an engraved wooden display pedestal and comes in an embossed collectable tin, making it a very desirable addition to any serious rum enthusiast’s collection. As a testament to the brand’s outstanding character, it was recently awarded a Double Gold Medal at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, a superlative 97 rating by the Beverage Testing Institute of Chicago. Ron Barceló Imperial Premium Blend retails for $120.00 per 750ml bottle and is currently available for sale in Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. The post Barcelo Imperial Premium appeared first on Rum Connection.

Sauternes cask – 46% My Tasting Notes: Colour: Pale straw Nose: Gentle smoke, tinned pineapple, lemon zest, vanilla, hints of ginger and nutmeg. Palate: Mild peat, honey, lemon zest, hints of banana, vanilla, hints of liquorice and ginger. Finish: Long, mild and slighly spicy. Overall: A remarkably gentle peated dram that does not slap your face but offers an intriguing mix of flavours. Rating: 85/100 – Price Tag $$$$$ – Value for your Money $$$$$ Buy Kornog Tauarc’h Pevared 12BC at The Whisky Exchange Scored blind for the Malt Maniacs Awards 2012 where it won a bronze medal, re-tasted for notes

46% My Tasting Notes: Colour: Bright amber Nose: Porridge, grapefruit, grapes, fermented wash, hints of vanilla and pepper. Palate: Sweet grapes, raspberries, grapefruit, vanilla, caramel, hints of nutmeg and pepper. Finish: Medium long, fruity and slighly spicy. Overall: The nose is rather immature, but on the palate this young whisky is quite enjoyable. Rating: 76/100 – Price Tag $$$$$ – Value for your Money $$$$$ Buy Glenglassaugh Revival at The Whisky Exchange Scored blind for the Malt Maniacs Awards 2012, re-tasted for notes

Alan Winchester, Master Distiller of The Glenlivet led the inaugural tasting of a new mystery expression, The Glenlivet Alpha at a media launch event held at the Whisky Shop in Piccadilly on 8th May. Chivas Brothers CEO, Christian Porta, attended the event to support the launch of the new expression, which is limited to 3350 bottles. Guests were also invited to try a range of sensory challenges (pictured left) launched by the Glenlivet in collaboration with Greyworld to help whisky enthusiasts master their senses to unlock the secrets of The Glenlivet Alpha. The sensory challenges are hosted on The Glenlivet Facebook page and http://www.theglenlivet.com/. Alan Winchester (pictured above leading the tasting) will reveal the tasting notes and cask information for the mystery expression in a video broadcast on 6th June at 12:30pm. To watch the reveal live, visit The Glenlivet’s Facebook page.  Notes  Follow The Glenlivet on Twitter via the handle @The_Glenlivet and stream the campaign through #alpha  The Glenlivet is the No. 2 single malt Scotch whisky in the world. Crafted in the remote Livet Valley since 1824, it is the only whisky with the unchallengeable right to be called The Glenlivet.  Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport. For further information please visit http://www.chivasbrothers.com/

Jura Whisky Revamps Core Range Packaging Jura whisky, one of the world’s fastest growing malts, has revamped its packaging to make the brand stand out on shelf and to clearly explain the distinct flavour profiles of each expression. Each carton will have its own distinct colour palette featuring a different image, drawn from the landscape of Jura.  The image that adorns each carton connects back to the whisky’s distinct island story and sits beside a half outline of the distinctive Jura bottle shape.  When the expressions are lined up together the outlines join up to reveal the whole outline of the iconic Jura bottle. Gemma Parkinson, Jura Brand Manager commented: “2012 was an exceptional year for the brand. We are now looking to build on this momentum and release a new creative look and feel that we hope will resonate with consumers and help them to truly identify with our brand story.” About Jura Off the west coast of Scotland lies one of nature’s best kept secrets, the Isle of Jura.  Populated by a community of less than 200, known as Diurachs (the Gaelic name for the people of Jura), the island is home to Jura distillery and an award-winning range of single malt whiskies. There are four classic bottlings in the Jura Collection, each with their own distinctive flavour profiles: the light and delicate Origin 10; the rich and full bodied Diurachs’ Own 16 year old; and Superstition and Prophecy, which are lightly and heavily peated respectively. Jura whisky, as we know it today, was born in the late 1950s when two local estate owners – Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith – took the bold decision to rebuild the Jura distillery following decades of neglect, employing architect William Delme-Evans. By 1963 their work was complete, providing much needed economic support for an isolated island community. The story of the distillery’s rebirth is one of many that define the unique character of Jura, the islanders and their whisky. From the Writers’ Retreat to the annual Music and Whisky Festivals, Jura continues to generate stories worth telling. To find out more visit www.jurawhisky.com

The fantastic programme of events is only two weeks away. Masterclasses are now sold out but there’s still a load more to see and do. Have a dram, a dance and grab a hearty venison burger in the cooperage. Click the button below for the full run down. If you can’t brave the waves to Jura then get online. We’ll be covering the festival on Facebook & Twitter. Keep your eye out for our 39 ¾ year old –pre release of our 40 year old in the week following the festival, you could win a vial of this very special dram in our video competition. See you at the dramming bar! VIEW THE FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

www.ralfy.com on location in Canada beginning a seven part vlog-series with Whisky Review 362 (1/7) – Spirit of Toronto Whisky Gala 2013

Another Teaninich 1973 in direct comparison with the cask by Malts of Scotland bottled a couple of months ago. This one is part of the Faces series. Teaninich 40 yo 1973 (42%, The Whisky Agency, refill sherry hogshead, 213 btl.) Nose: very similar to the Malts of Scotland cask. Gooseberries, unripe banana, kiwi… Maybe slightly less sour and slightly less pronounced oak. Sure, there’s wood but it brings a sense of oldness rather than a sourness, if you know what I mean. Same honey and mint. Yellow flowers. The whole also had a hint of old rum that I don’t get in the MoS version. Maybe this roundness comes from the sherry cask, maybe not. Nice. Mouth: the attack seems slightly bitter here (more than 0,2% bigger). Banana, yellow plums, oranges, pineapple. Mint / eucalyptus combo. The oak seems more toasted, even faintly smoky? Tobacco leaves in any case, some cedar. Weakens rather quickly. Finish: maybe a tad longer, maybe it’s just imagination. Same fruity / minty fade. The two casks are closely together, but I prefer this one for its rummy roundness on the nose and its slightly bigger impact on the palate. Close call though, so let’s give the same score, both are on the subtle side and this one is the more expensive choice. Around € 235. Score: 89/100