Wemyss Malts Single Cask Releases July 2014

Edinburgh based boutique Spirits Company Wemyss Malts announced the release of their latest parcel of single cask Scotch whiskies at the end of July. The range included a single grain single cask whisky for the first time as well as the most valuable whisky Wemyss has ever released, a 31 years old single cask from Bowmore distillery.

Each cask is a celebration of the unique and contrasting appeals of the different Scotch whisky regions and the latest release covers grain whisky and four of the regions: from Islay, Highlands, Speyside and Campbeltown.  Wemyss whiskies are each named after their natural taste and aroma and the full cask list of this release comprises:

• "Lemon Cheesecake" -  1988 single cask from Invergordon, Single Grain
• "Loch Indaal Catch" - 1982 single cask from Bowmore, Islay
• "Oysters with Lemon Pearls" - 1991 single cask from Bunnahabhain, Islay
• "Aromatic Orange Tobacco" - 1988 single cask from Glenrothes, Speyside
• "Melon Vine" - 1994 single cask from Aberfeldy, Highlands
• "At Anchor in a Cove" - 1991 single cask from Glen Scotia, Campbeltown

Each cask has been selected and named by the Wemyss tasting panel, under the watchful eye of industry aficionado Charlie Maclean.   There are only a few hundred bottles from each cask and the suggested retail prices range from £80 to £700.

Whisky Discovery were delighted to receive samples of three these releases and here is what Dave though of these new Whisky Discoveries:

Whisky Discovery #949

Wemyss Malts 1988 Invergordon 'Lemon Cheesecake' 46% abv

Single Cask Grain Whisky

circa £82.00 70cl

This is the first single grain whisky that Wemyss have ever released, so it was a real honour to be sent a sample of this 25/26 year old to review. Distilled at the Invergordon Distillery and laid to rest in a barrel until bottling this year. Just 220 bottles at 46% abv have been released.

So What Did I Think?

The nose exudes lovely soft coconut ice notes; a freshly opened pack of McVities Digestive biscuits (other digestive biscuits are available); honey and a woody note that reminds me of sawn coconut wood. There is a faint Bourbonesque note too (made up word relating to American Whiskey and not the biscuits). This is indeed very fragrant and although I've never had a cheesecake under my nose long enough to nose it (read 'gannet') I did note cake mix and custard creams though.

Sweet and spicy is the overall profile of the palate. A creamy mouth coating Bourbon sweetness with some coconut notes open as the spices build with a touch of cardamom alongside cloves and some gentle chilli heat while the fragrant coconut wood notes comes through towards the end, before finishing with a spicy tingle that leaves cloves and cardamom while dessicated coconut lingers to the very end.

I really loved this! At the time of tasting I tweeted that Wemyss Malts should take a bow. Their first ever single grain release is superb, please send me more!

Whisky Discovery #951

Wemyss Malts 1988 Glenrothes 'Aromatic Orange Tobacco' 46% abv

Speyside Single Cask Malt

circa £120.00 70cl

A 25/26 year old Sherry butt matured Glenrothes from 1988, and being a sherry butt the yield was a very healthy 730 bottles at 46% abv, enough for us all! (well 730 of us). So what were you doing in 1988? There's something about an age statement or a vintage that can take you straight back to that period in your life. Fortunately I can still remember although there are quite a few holes due to my mis-spent youth.

So What Did I Think?

My first impressions upon nosing this was Jamaican Ginger cake, lovely rich sticky cakey notes. Later orange oil notes develop followed by some tobacco! Wemyss most definitely have got the name of this release bang on the nail!

Initially this tastes soft and sweet before some tobacco notes develop. The sherry influence then shows its hand with Amontillado flavours before the spices lift the palate with a sherbet tingle, finishing with the sherry/tannin dryness which reminds me of grapefruit pith.

The following morning the empty glass yields rich dark chocolate notes, I really liked this Glenrothes.

Whisky Discovery #955

Wemyss Malts 1982  Bowmore 'Loch Indaal Catch' 46% abv

Islay Single Cask Malt

circa £740.00 70cl

Definitely considered as the star attractuion of this release, and heralded as their most valuable release to date, this 31 Year Old Bowmore  was distilled back in the day when I was half way through my shipbuilding apprenticeship! I was working on Steel hulled, aluminium superstructure fast patrol craft for Egypt and Oman. My hair was down to my waist, I rode fast and loud motorbikes and was a roadie for a local rock band! A teenage rebel without a clue!

So What Did I Think?

Wow this was very fragrant! Floral with a candy sweetness, Parma Violets of course, and talcum powder. Later the maritime notes start to develop, remember its been sleeping for at least 31 years, with a salty sea breeze and some tarred driftwood.

The Parma Violets dominate the palate for me, again very floral and fragrant while drinking. A candy sweetness with a gentle sherbet fizz. For a 30 plus year old whisky it is surprisingly light and fresh on the palate. There is a sandy beach note under the perfume.

The perfumed fragrance remains right through to the very end, perhaps a little too perfumed for me. 'Nice perfume but must you marinate in it?' would be the name of this release if I was allowed to label it! I'm sure this will appeal to more than the 165 bottles available, both my wife and youngest daughter thought it smelt delightful!

The empty glass the following morning loses the heady perfume and gives earthy malty notes which I preferred.

I was very pleased with the three samples received and although the Bowmore is not to my taste (or my budget) I'm sure there are plenty who will love it as experienced at other tastings when this flavour profile come up! The single grain is outstanding in my opinion, I absolutely loved it and it certainly is within my budget. I loved the Glenrothes too, but a little to expensive for me, I still struggle with spending over £100 on a bottle of whisky, but that's down to my disposable income, and to maintain peace and harmony within the household! The other three releases sound equally interesting and would love to taste each of them!

Slàinte!Dave

Whisky Distillery Discovery No.2 - Glen Garioch

It was exactly one year ago that I visited my first Scottish whisky distillery, The Glen Garioch Distillery in Oldmeldrum and I still have fond memories of that September Friday afternoon.

I got the opportunity to visit Scotland on a business trip to Aberdeen during the that week of September. A large industrial show was being held in the city of Aberdeen I and was being sent up there to evaluate the show for a possible future exhibition. Although I hadn't left it too late to book flights which were readily available and still reasonably priced, booking a hotel was a little more tricky. The nearest place I could find to stay was in Elgin, some 60 odd miles away and an hour and a half drive each way.

Originally I was scheduled to travel with my Managing Director and I was already making plans to extend the trip over a weekend in order to take in some sights (read distilleries) but upon seeing the distance we would be traveling each way, he decided that I should go on my own, as he has little patience for travlleing, and so the trip was arranged. With a double room booked at the Premier Inn Linkwood, just outside Elgin, from the Wednesday evening until Sunday morning, and a hire car for the duration I thought it would be a good idea to ask my wife to accompany me. My wife doesn't drink and as long as I stayed awake to give directions, she would drive me home from the distilleries.

In the meantime I started investigating possible distillery visits and hatched a plan. The nearest distillery to Aberdeen is The Glen Garioch Distillery in Oldmeldrum, it was practically 'on the way home' taking the scenic route, and as the trade show finished early on the Friday (scheduled to close at 1400) it certainly seemed feasible to make an afternoon appointment for a tour. I made the necessary calls and booked it all up for 1500 which gave me plenty of time to escape from Aberdeen and meet my appointment.

The Still Room

Glen Garioch is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland. Founded in 1797, it is Scotland’s most easterly distillery. Situated just twenty minutes from Aberdeen in the town of Oldmeldrum, it’s known as Aberdeenshire’s malt. Proud of their north east heritage, the Doric pronunciation is everything when it comes to Glen Garioch. Pronounced Glen Geery (which means Granary) the whisky takes its name from the local dialect for a tract of richly fertile land. It could be said the area was made for whisky production. The beautiful and richly fertile land has been famed for centuries as the ‘Granary of Aberdeenshire’, known for producing the finest barley in Scotland. When we visited the fields around were very busy with the farmers working hard and long hours trying to bring all the harvest home before the autumn set in

Arriving at Aberdeen late that Wednesday evening, we drove straight up to the hotel, it was very late when we finally reached our destination, overnight roadworks on the A96 causing some delays to the expected ninety minute run, and with a fairly early start the following morning decided to call it a day (the pub next door had already closed, so no dram before bedtime possible)

After a very long day at the trade show (Offshore Europe is a huge show and I spent the whole day walking each and every one of the halls, checking out the exhibits, looking for business opportunities and checking out competitors) I decided that we would take the long way back to the hotel, via Oldmeldrum, to check the route, the time needed and to make sure at could find the distillery the following afternoon. (I was a boy scout and being prepared is my motto!)

Pagodas in the sunshine - the old Maltings are to the left

Over the years Oldmeldrum has grown around the distillery, now nestled on the outskirts of the thriving town. It was a glorious afternoon, clear blue skies with bright sunshine and when we pulled up in the visitor centre car park, there were still a few cars there, so we made our way into the visitor centre to have a quick scout around, meeting Frank who confirmed we we were expected for the following afternoon. With the weather so fine it was also a good opportunity to take a few photographs as the weather forecast wasn't quite so good for the Friday. 

The show in Aberdeen seemed to fizzle out earlier than expected on the Friday, with many of the exhibitors starting to pack up while I was still trawling the aisles so we decided to leave early and head out to explore Oldmeldrum first, stopping for lunch in the community cafe in he middle of town. The community cafe was a wonderful find. Every table was taken when we popped our head in, but one of the tables had two spare seats and we were asked to join them, as they were just having their lunch before their shift at the cafe started. The cafe is all run by volunteers, for the community, and all the food was home made and we got to chat to some of the locals and find out a little bit about Oldmeldrum

After lunch of home made soup, followed by tea and scones we made our way over to the distillery, which was conveniently located in Distillery Road. We were met by visitor centre manager Fiona who poured me a large dram of their Founders Reserve while we waited for Distillery Manager Kenny 'Digger' Grant to take us around.

Although founded in 1797 The Glen Garioch distillery, like most of our older distilleries has had a chequered history. Production stopped in 1968 due to a chronic water shortage and five years passed before it started producing spirit again in 1973. It was then mothballed again for two years in 1995

Kenny has some history with Glen Garioch, having worked his way through every part of the process since joining the company as a young man after an initial career with the Army. His connection with the distillery goes back further than his own career, as his father affectionately known as 'Digger' Grant was responsible for finding a suitable water source after the distillery was mothballed in 1968.

Kenny, who has also assumed his fathers nickname 'Digger', took us straight across the road and into the old maltings. The maltings haven't been in use since the distillery was last mothballed in 1995 and so have been slowly decaying through lack of use. It's sad to see such a grand old building with its two malting floors and two grain storage floors unused. Repairs were being made to the upper wooden floors and roof when we visited, but I'm not sure what they will be used for.

Enjoying a dram of the 1999 'fill your own' with Kenny

As it was my first full distillery visit I'd never walked the malting floor, and although familiar with the process, Kenny explained what it was really like, back in the day when he was working in the maltings for real. It certainly sounded like back breaking work, but like all places of work, there seemed to have been a lot of fun there too, as Kenny let on about some of the pranks they would play on each other, and especially with the new guys.

From the maltings we went through to see the old kilns, again no longer in use. When the distillery was reopened in August 1997 it was decided that malted barley would be shipped in. Nowadays the malt is unpeated, but pre-1995 there peat was used in the kilning process to circa 8-10 ppm.

Stainless Steel Washbacks

From the kiln we moved into the current working operational side of the distillery. The 4.4 tonne full later mash tun is used 15 times a week, filling the eight stainless steel wash backs where a fermentation time of 48 hours is usual.

There are three stills in the still room, there used to be two pairs back in the mid seventies, but now the 'spare' spirit still sits between the wash still and the spirit still that is used. The wash still is a traditional onion shaped still with a capacity of 25,000 litres, the spirit still similar, but a little smaller at 12,000 litres capacity. When we visited the distillery was more or less running at full capacity of circa 1 million litres a year, so it is one of our smaller distilleries in terms of capacity. There's very little room to expand, but if the missing wash still was replaced I guess production could be increased.

The 12,000 litre Spirit Still

The spirit collected is tankered away for cask filling and although there is on-site dunnage the majority of the maturing stocks is held offsite. 

Kenny reflected in the Spirit Safe

Our visit included a trip into one of the four warehouses where some 8,000 casks lie maturing. This was something I was really looking forward to, having heard so much about the 'Angels Share' and it certainly didn't disappoint. The heady aroma of maturing Whisky combined with the whisky soaked oak barrels and cool damp earthiness is just sublime!

Traditional dunnage at Glen Garioch - the smell in here should be bottled

There's an opportunity to fill your own bottle straight from a cask in the warehouse. It was the first time I'd handled a valinch, but managed to fill the glass beaker without making a mess, or without bringing too much of the charred oak that lies in the bottom of a cask.. When we visited the 'fill-your-own' was a 1999 ex-bourbon cask (cask number 2907) that was filled on the 27th November. Once bottled you get to label your bottle and each is individually numbered, mine being No.100, bottle on 6th September 2013. I haven't opened it yet, but will be soon I'm sure.

Back in the visitor centre there are a selection of their current range to taste from their core staples, Founders Reserve and 12 Year Old, to some of their vintage releases. I have both the Founders Reserve and the 12 Year Old on my shelf, with the 12 Year Old my favourite of the two. Of the vintages I've tried, the 1986 is a stand out dram, although slightly above my budget, and the 1995 is just superb, although scarce now. I recently added a bottle of their 1999 Sherry Cask Matured vintage to my shelf having finished the 1995 vintage

Glen Garioch is certainly well worth a visit, and being just 30 minutes away from Aberdeen , and 'on the way' to Speyside it must be in your plans! I'm hoping to be able to return there soon, I'd love to spend time there to really get under the skin of the team. Whisky is about the people, and everyone we met at Glen Garioch are passionate about what they do. In addition to that, Oldmeldrum is a lovely Aberdeenshire town which has grown up and around the distillery and visitor centre making it truly part of the community.

If you've not been there yet, do something about it, you won't be disappointed

My single cask bottle, No.100 from 1999 Vintage Cask No.2907

I've tasted quite a few of the Distillery releases as well as a couple of independent bottlings. I have (or have had) the following on my drinking shelf; Founders Reserve, 12 Year Old, 1995 Vintage, 1999 Vintage and my 1999 single cask that I filled myself.

CORE RANGE

Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve 48% ABV (Whisky Discovery No.216)

Glen Garioch 12 Years Old 48% ABV (Whisky Discovery No.453)

VINTAGES

Glen Garioch Virgin Oak 48% ABV (Whisky Discovery No.455)

Glen Garioch 1978 57.8% ABV

Glen Garioch 1986 54.6% ABV (Whisky Discovery No.455)

Glen Garioch 1990 54.6% ABV.

Glen Garioch 1991 54.7% ABV.

Glen Garioch 1994 53.9% ABV.

Glen Garioch 1995 55.3% ABV (Whisky Discovery No.454)

Glen Garioch 1997 56.7% ABV

Glen Garioch 1998 56.7% ABV French Oak Matured (Whisky Discovery No.780)

Glen Garioch 1999 56.3% ABV Sherry Cask Matured (Whisky Discovery No.529)

Book Review: MacLean's Miscellany of Whisky

A few months ago I tweeted a request for recommended books to read. This one wasn't on anyone's list but in my search for the books that were mentioned it kept popping up and so when I found it on Ebay for a song (less than a pint of Guinness, delivered) it certainly seemed worth the punt.

This is not a new book by any means and it may even be out of print. My copy says it was first published in 2004, long before I started my whisky journey. However, I really wish someone had told me about this book earlier.

Here is my review of MacLean’s Miscellany of Whisky, by Charles MacLean. 

I had of course heard of Charles MacLean when I bought this book, by then I was well into my third year of the journey when I picked it up. I knew that he was involved with Wemyss Malts, and also was enjoying the status of movie star following the release of the excellent film by Ken Loach 'Angels Share'. Then while I was about halfway through the book I got the opportunity to meet Charles at a press launch in London just before The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show last October.

I've really enjoyed reading this book, my only gripe being the size, as it is comparable to an A6 notebook but twice the thickness. It made it a little unyielding for my fat fingers! I'm not going to moan about the poetry in the book because I never 'got' it when I was a lad. I still don't care for it much now. I know to some of you that might seem blasphemous and while I would never ridicule a poet, it’s just not my thing. I did at least try to read the excerpts from Robert Burns, honest, but don't let this put you off reading this book as there are loads in it that will both educate and entertain especially if you are a newbie in the world of Whisky like me.

As Charles states in his introduction, a miscellany is defined as “a mixture of writings on different subjects, or by different authors.” This is neither, but it is a mixture of topics broadly related to the subject of Scotch Whisky intertwined with some of his favourite quotations about the same subject.

In this book, he has poured a lifetime's love and knowledge of Scotch whisky giving the reader a sound foundation in what is needed to know and appreciate about Scotland's most generous gift to the world and arguably the world's finest spirit.

Twenty chapters takes you through a short history about Whisky. Starting with its definition and origin of what we know whisky to be today as well as a quick look at the the other major whisky makers (at the time of writing) Ireland, America, Canada and Japan.

If you ever wanted to find out about 'proof' it’s all explained in this book (if you were born after 1980 you may be wondering what I'm talking about). The entire process is explained from water to barley varieties, albeit that time again has moved on and current strains will certainly be different since the original publication date, but the history is there. If you are just starting your whisky journey this is a great little book that answers so many questions. The chapters are wide ranging but are easily digested. The reader can pick up, delve into at any point and there is no need to read it in chronological order.

As I mentioned earlier I've really enjoyed reading this and I'm glad it is part of my whisky shelf. I will continue to pick it up to re-read chapters from time to time, and will even have another bash at trying to enjoy the poetry!

If it's not in your Whisky Library now, do yourself a favour and pick up a copy quickly!

Sláinte! Dave.

A word of thanks also to @whiskylassie for proofreading this post and correcting a few things for me.

Midlands Whisky Festival V

One of our favourite Whisky shows run by independent Wine Merchants Nickolls & Perks takes place in Stourbridge Town Hall in September and The next Midlands Whisky Festival is on Saturday 27th September 2014

Originally planned as an annual show held on the last Saturday in September, an additional show was added in April 2013 due to demand. Dave has been to every Midlands Whisky Festival apart from the very first, which took place during the very first year of his Whisky Discovery journey and before he'd even realised such Whisky show existed! You can see our previous Show reports here:

• Midlands Whisky II 
• Midlands Whisky III 
• Midlands Whisky IV 

Midlands Whisky V

Whilst Kat hasn't always managed to make it to the Midlands Whisky Festival with Dave, she was able to accompany him on their most recent trip at the end of March. It is a bit of a trek from Bedford involving two taxi rides, eight trains and two short walks for the return journey, but certainly possible to do within a day trip even if a little exhausting!

The show has evolved bigger and better each year, and it got off to a great start. Recent improvements to the Town Hall over the winter months since the September 2013 Show meant finding the new entrance to the town hall, which now encompasses the new shopping centre and library, and is completely covered meaning if the weather is a little unsettled, queuing to get in under cover is another added bonus. Fortunately the weather on this Saturday in March was glorious

Whilst the show ordinarily opens at midday for ticket holders the are a limited number of VIP tickets which allow access from 1045 which not only gives you an extra 'Dream Dram' token, but more importantly to serious whisky fan, unrivalled access to the Brand Ambassadors and shop for a full hour and a quarter, in a relaxed unhurried atmosphere whilst canapés are served. This year in addition to the VIP ticket, a 'Devotee' ticket was available which not only gave all the VIP advantages but a sample of every Dream Dram to take home too! Both VIP and Devotee ticket holders are also treated to an exclusive Masterclass which starts at midday when the show doors open to the remaining ticket holders

Our first stop in Stourbridge was to go straight to the Nickolls and Perks Shop as it's always worth a browse when you're up that way, and because we had a very early start we had a good forty five minutes to peruse the shelves to see what might tempt us. We also bumped into a few of the #whiskyfabric from Twitter, some we'd met before like good friends Jon and Mike from Living Room Whisky, but also great to meet new faces @MikeJack1976 and @NickDaBird

Having spent the previous weekend at London's Whisky Live, it was impressive to note the number of exhibitors at the Midlands Whisky Festival V, with an additional room opened upstairs. Notable absentees from Whisky Live London were definitely in attendance at The Midlands Whisky Festival; Talisker, Highland Park, Jameson, Glenfiddich, Laphroaig, Glenmorangie, The Glenlivet, Arberlour Bowmore and Jura to name just a few!

An impressive Exhibitor List

With our VIP tickets in hand we headed for the new entrance for the 1045 start and made our way upstairs to say hello to the man who holds the key to all of the Masterclasses, @Ardbaggie, half Ardbeg and half West Bromwich Albion FC, it is @Ardbaggie who determines if you may enter the Masterclass room! With pleasantries exchanged we headed off to the new upstairs room and spotted Colin Dunn of Diageo who had a couple of great Dream Drams on offer.

I've found it's always best to study the Dream Dram list as soon as you can, and then make sure these are the first drams you try, or certainly very early on in the show. Leave it too late and your plate will probably be well past its best to take any real notice of what you've just enjoyed, or worse still the Dream Dram is nothing but an empty bottle.

We started with the Johnnie Walker King George V release, one that eluded me at the last Midlands Whisky Festival (did not heed the advice I'd just written above) which was followed by a Brora 35 Year Old - both of these whiskies needed time to sit down to ponder over, and fortunately there were indeed leather armchairs in this hall to do just that. Colin also had a couple of 'extras' under that table and I followed those two Dream Drams with a drop of the Talisker 1985 vintage which was just wonderful.

Our second Dream Dram of the day - just fabulous!

Scott Laing from Hunter Laing whiskies was our next port of call where we stopped for a quick catch up having last met at The Whisky Exchange Show back in October 2013. I went for a single grain and chose the 36 Year Old Strathclyde from their Sovereign release.

The first Masterclass was for the VIP ticket holders and was hosted by Duncan Ralph of Duncan Taylor Whiskies and we were treated to a five dram line up, starting with their Black Bull 12 Year Old Blended Scotch, a 50/50 malt to grain ratio bottled at 50% abv. It was a new Whisky Discovery for Kat but Dave had tried this before at a blind Whisky tasting. You can read what he thought about that here. We then went on to taste four of the Duncan Taylor single cask releases, three from their 'Dimensions Series' Dailuaine, Glen Grant and Bruichladdich and an 18 Year Old Mortlach from their Octave Series. Our favourite from the five was the Glen Grant 18 Year Old.

The exclusive Duncan Taylor Single Cask Masterclass

After the Masterclass I rushed back to see Colin Dunn to see if he had any more of the Talisker 1985, firstly because Kat didn't manage to try this and secondly a good friend had replied to my tweet posted and was desperate to try this! I was just too late, it had all gone, but Colin did have a drop of the Oban 21 to pour me in consolation!

We also bumped into Kirsty and Stewart from @Whiskycorner who had travelled all the way from Edinburgh to visit this show and must have been the furthest travelled guest that day! We'd met Kirsty and Stewart at the previous weekend'd Whisky Live London for the first time.

We headed downstairs after the class and caught up with Lukasz Dynowiak from The Edinburgh Whisky Blog who was busy talking all things Balbalir, Old Pulteney and anCnoc we quenched our malt thirst with a drop of the magnificent anCnoc 22 Year Old. We also bumped into another new face with a first meeting of @MyWhiskyGuide

Dave headed off to the Douglas Laing stand afterwards hoping to find the Clan Denny Port Dundas he found at the last Midlands Whisky Show. Unfortunately there was no Port Dundas on hand, but he did stop to sample another old single grain by way of a 21 Year Old Cameronbridge from 1990

We also caught up with Phil Huckle at the Pernod Ricard stand where there was a line up from Aberlour and The Glenlivet on offer before heading off to find some lunch. It was during our chatting and lunching that we missed one of the Masterclasses that we really wanted to attend, The Miss Whisky's Chocolate and Whisky one. It was a full house and by all accounts was a great session too. while we have known Alwynne from almost the very start of our journey, well certainly since we were allowed out in public, Dave has never seen her in action. (and I'll have no smutty remarks here please!)

We did make it to Lukasz's Balblair Masterclass though. Four Balblair vintages were in the line up alongside two Old Pulteney releases. although there were no new Whisky Discoveries to be had, it's always interesting to watch friends hosting a Masterclass as we're always looking to learn.

The Balblair/Old Pulteney Masterclass Line up

We started with the recent 2003 Vintage, one that featured in our Whisky Tasting we held in March, before moving onto the 1997, 1990 and 1983 Vintages, the latter of the two being new Whisky Discoveries at the previous weekends Whisky Live London Show. We then moved onto the Old Pulteney 21 Year Old finishing off with their fabulous 1990 Vintage.

Time was once again moving faster than we were anticipating and with last pours at 1630 looming we rushed off to speak to people we'd missed previously and stopped off to say our farewells to Scott Laing while sipping their delightful 26 Year Old Glenturret. Dave had tasted this previously, but wanted Kat to experience it. Then as last pours were announced managed to squeeze in a good measure of Glengoyne 21 Year Old to wrap up the show and say our goodbyes.

And so another great Whisky Show was over and it was time to make our way home, however the journey home was brightened up with the company of The Miss Whisky who coincidentally was not only booked on the same train as us from Birmingham, but also in the same carriage - how spooky was that! We stopped of in the City Centre to grab some dinner before heading to the station and arrived safely home after around 14 hours from when we left that morning!

The next Midlands Whisky Festival is on Saturday 27th September and tickets are selling fast! You can find out more information here: Midland Whisky Festival September 2014 

We met a great number of people at the show and they're all definitely worth following if your on Twitter: @Ardbaggie @Nickolls_Perks @Midlandswhisky @LRWhisky @themisswhisky @NickDaBird @MikeJack1976 @Whiskycorner @KirstyClarke29 @ StewartCraigon @MyWhiskyGuide @ChrisWebb1984 @Double_Clicks @PTwhiskypenguin

If we met and I've missed you off of this list please let me know and I'll update it!

Kat and me with @Double_Clicks and @ChrisWebb1984 #Whiskyfabric

For more photos check out our Facebook page!

The full dram list as follows:

Whisky Discovery #754 Johnnie Walker King George V

Whisky Discovery #755 Brora 35 Year Old (2013 Release)

Whisky Discovery #756 Talsiker 1985

Whisky Discovery #757 Strathclyde 1977 a Hunter Laing 'Sovereign' release 36 Year Old

Duncan Taylor Masterclass with Duncan Ralph

Whisky Discovery #227 Black Bull 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky

Whisky Discovery #758 Dailuaine 1998 15 Year Old Dimensions Series

Whisky Discovery #759 Glen Grant 18 Year Old Dimensions Series

Whisky Discovery #760 Motlach 18 Year Old Dimensions Series

Whisky Discovery #761 Bruichladdich 20 Year Old Octave Series

back into the show

Whisky Discovery #762 Oban 21 Year Old

Whisky Discovery #383 AnCnoc 22 Year Old

Whisky Discovery #762 Cameronbridge 1990 a Douglas Laing 'Clan Denny' release 21 Year Old

Balbalir Masterclass with Lukasz Dynowiak

Whisky Discovery #747 Balblair 2003 Vintage

Whisky Discovery #272 Blablair 1997 Vintage

Whisky Discovery #748 Balblair 1990 Vintage

Whisky Discovery #751 Balblair 1983 Vintage

Whisky Discovery #58 Old Pulteny 21 Year Old

Whisky Discovery #638 Old Pulteney 1990 Vintage

back into the show

Whisky Discovery #690 Glenturret 26 Year Old from Hunter Laing

Whisky Discovery #388 Glengoyne 21 Year Old

My Passion for Sherry

Forgive me brethren (whiskyfabric), it has been over three months since I last blogged......

Three months!!!? Where the hell have I been?

To be honest I really don't know where the time has gone, but I had 'lost my mojo' at the beginning of my absence, in terms of writing, and once I'd stopped, it has been incredibly difficult to recover the pace I was once setting. I guess I was burning the candle from both ends and something eventually had to give, Unfortunately it was the writing that has suffered. Then, just when I start to get my mojo back, my computer starts playing up. If you follow me on Twitter you'll already be aware of the hopeless internet connection I suffer, but losing the ability to blog was something I wasn't prepared for!

So how do I get this blog back on track? Well for now, I'm using a program that I can pick up anywhere to write to, but using my phone or old ipad mostly, and then I'll copy and past when I can access a computer to post the piece until I can get a new computer installed.

But for the subject of this post, I thought I'd tell you about my recent hunger for Sherry. This has only come about through my passion for Whisky. As part of my continuous professional development (CPD in CV speak) I wanted to investigate sherry to experience the flavours that's imparted to sherry cask matured Whisky. 

There are some very attractive sherry bottle labels around

I knew nothing about sherry and really didn't know where to start. My experience of sherry would probably be similar to most, a bottle would come out at Christmas time, and my Mother and Grandmother would have an occasional glass of Harvey's Bristol Cream over the holiday period and then it would disappear back into the cupboard for another year. My curiosity never went any further than acknowledging this ritual, although I'm fairly certain that I would have tried this when I was much younger.

We used to eat out at an Italian restaurant on a Saturday evening when I was working in the Far East. At the end of the meal the owner would bring out a chilled sweet Thai sherry alongside some almond biscotti, it was always a nice end to the evening.

So after remembering my sherry history it was back to my new quest. It seemed that many whiskies were stating that they had been matured or finished in Oloroso casks so that's where I thought would be a good place to start, and bought a bottle of it, while I searched the Internet for further information about Sherry.

I've always wanted to have a go with a venencia and recently got the opportunity - one is on my shopping list!

So what is Sherry?

Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes, Palimono grapes mostly (and yes I've started reading up grape varieties too) grown in Andalusa. It's also an Anglicized name of the town Jerez (Xeres) where sherry is protected, just like Scotch Whisky is.

Spanish producers have registered the names Jerez / Xérès / Sherry and will prosecute producers of similar fortified wines from other places using the same name. 

From my first bottle of Oloroso I went onto to buy a bottle of Fino (as I once was lucky to taste a fabulous Bowmore 1964 Fino cask) and then Manzanilla and Amontillado was on my shopping list as I declared Sundays to be reserved for Sherry, well at least until the evening when I would be looking to return to a glass of whisky!

I learned quickly that sherry is not as sweet as I was expecting, apart from a few types of Sherry and of course the sweetened or Cream Sherries that my Grandmother would have enjoyed. No, most sherries are quite dry, despite having glorious sweet noses. I also learned that Sherry was meant to be drunk alongside food, hence the Spanish Tapas bars

Sherry doesn't really keep well once opened either so it's best to buy smaller bottles if you're drinking on your own, don't rush out and but a flagon of dry sherry unless you're entertaining a large group of friends! My earliest sherry purchases came from the Wine Society. If you enjoy a glass of wine and you're not a member, you really need to ask yourself why! If you live within striking distance of Stevenage where their members shop and tasting room is located then you really need your head examining if you're not considering membership! It's one of my favourite places to visit on a Saturday morning. There are always a selection of new wines and sherries to taste, a huge selection of wines and knowledgeable staff to guide you. They also have a good range of sherries!

I also started picking up bottles in our local supermarkets, both Tesco and Marks and Spencer stock smaller bottles which are perfect for a couple of weekends enjoyment. Unlike whisky they don't keep well once opened, so I tend to only open one at a time and don't open another until I've finished the last.

Some of my picks so far

Fino: Crisp, dry, yeasty, nutty and tangy, fino is the freshest and most delicate of sherry styles, an bottled at around 15% abv. Fino is aged in barrels and protected from oxygen during its development by the flor or film of yeast. Fino, like most sherries is a versatile food companion, and like a white wine, should be drunk chilled.

I've tried a few Fino's and have had a couple of bottles of The Society's as well as one from Tesco's Finest Range however the Sanchez Romate has been my favourite so far

Manzanilla: This is an especially light variety of a Fino Sherry made in the port of Sanlucar de Barrameda rather than in the cities of Jerez or Puerto de Santa Maria and because the more humid environment in the bodegas here encourages a thicker flor layer, these wines are typically lighter and even fresher than fino, often with a distinctive salty tang 

Like Fino it needs to be served chilled and drunk fresh so always buy from a shop or online retailer that has a good turnover of bottles There's also an extended aged version or has been partially oxidised, called Manzanilla Pasado that has a richer, nuttier flavour

The Manzanilla Pasada from M&S was lovely but my latest find from La Guita has been very nice

For food pairings with Fino and Manzanilla I recommend taking a look at Fiona Beckett's 'Matching food and Wine' site here:

Amontillado is a variety of Sherry that is first aged under flor but which is then exposed to oxygen, producing a sherry that is darker than a Fino but lighter than an Oloroso. Naturally dry, they are sometimes sold lightly to medium sweetened but these can no longer be labelled as Amontillado. Amontillado is an amber-coloured sherry that is nutty and complex, with a long finish. It is fortified to around 17.5 ° alcohol to protect it during its development, and because it has been aged oxidatively does tend to last for longer once opened. I've kept smaller bottles at room temperature, but have chilled the litre bottles from The Wine Society. I love the nutty flavours of an Amontillado so keen to explore others.

Again bottles from The Wine Society and Tesco's Finest Range have been sampled and enjoyed

Palo Cortado is a variety of Sherry that is initially aged like an Amontillado, typically for three or four years, but which subsequently develops a character closer to an Oloroso. This either happens by accident when the flor dies, or commonly the flor is killed by fortification or filtration.

The label on the back of this bottle from Cayetano Del Pino states: This is an excellent example of the rare Palo Cortado style. It is an elegant wine with an intense nutty aroma and an attractive roundness on the palate, an impressive length of flavour from long ageing in butts.

This Palo Cortado has been one of my favourites so far and I've had a number of bottles and keep one in hand, just in case!

For food pairings for Amontillado and Palo Cortado I recommend taking a look at Fiona Beckett's 'Matching food and Wine' site again here: 

Oloroso ('scented' in Spanish) is a variety of Sherry aged oxidatively for a longer time than a Fino or Amontillado, producing a darker and richer wine. With alcohol levels between 18 and 20% abv Olorosos are the most alcoholic Sherries. Like Amontillado, naturally dry, they are often also sold in sweetened versions called Cream Sherry. As with Amontillado "Sweet Oloroso", "Rich Oloroso" and "Oloroso Dulce" are prohibited terms now.

My first bottle came from The Wine Society and it was a bottle of their Viejo Oloroso Dulce, a term no longer appropriate and no longer available! I've also bought a bottle or two of Tesco Finest range (for a while they were selling these at under £5 a bottle) and more recently one from Marks and Spencer. I love the rich nutty flavours and can see how some of these traits pass through to Oloroso cask matured whisky.

I love the rich nose from an Oloroso and will be popping back to M&S for another of this one

Matusalem is made by enrichment of a dry Oloroso sherry with 25% Pedro Ximenez, followed by additional ageing in its own solera, and is produced in very small quantities compared to the other sherries. This is so rich and opulent in feel but not quite as sweet as the nose would suggest. I bought this Matusalem because I remembered Dalmore have used Matusalem casks to mature their whiskies, notably The Dalmore Cigar Malt, King Alexander etc. It was also going for a song in Costco one Christmas, less than £15 for a thirty year old sherry seemed like the bargain of the season. It was only a small bottle but so incredibly complex, both nose and palate are awash with notes of a walnut syrup (if there is such a thing) dates, raisins, figs, candied orange peel and pudding spices. I've just bought a another bottle.

Just purchased another bottle of this recently - decadent!

Pedro Ximenez or PX is made from air-dried Pedro Ximenez grapes, with fermentation stopped early by the addition of spirit. I first thought this would be too sweet for me, but bought a bottle from Marks and Spencer that seemed to be calling my name. It is deliciously sweet and for me, full of blackcurrants and prune syrup! I enjoy it as it is or chilled and have even poured a glass over my fried banana and ice cream dessert. Currently we have a bottle of English Whisky's PX open

I must admit I was pleasantly surprised with PX and will be buying more of this!

Cream sherries are more commercial products that have been sweetened by the addition of Moscatel or Pedro Ximénez, they are quite different to the 'single malt' sherries but are still worth investigating, especially if you have a sweet tooth!

What's next for me? Well a trip to Jerez is definitely something I'm dying to do and must be in my plans for 2015. I also want to get myself a Venencia so I can hone my sherry pouring skills  at home. I will of course continue to pick up bottles of sherry on my shopping trips, always looking for something new. If you have any suggestions for me, please don't hesitate to let me know!

So what are you waiting for? As a whisky drinker you have a moral duty to drink sherry!

Some places I looked for information on Sherry:
http://www.sherrynotes.com/
http://www.sherryinstitute.co.uk/
http://www.wineanorak.com/sherry.htm

http://jerez-xeres-sherry.blogspot.co.uk/

Glen Garioch Drambassador

The beautiful Still Room at Glen Garioch, conveniently located in Distillery Road

If you've bumped into me at Whisky Shows recently you'll know I'm a big fan of Glen Garioch, I'll always drop by to saviour one or more of their Vintage releases, despite having sampled them all previously. I have a few from their range on my shelf too, and we called upon their 1995 Vintage for our first Whisky Tasting that we held towards the end of last year. The Glen Garioch distillery was also the first Scottish distillery I visited, so has even more relevance as I've met the people who make the Whisky.

You can imagine I was pretty excited to learn that I had been chosen to be a 'Drambassador' for the Glen Garioch distillery, an unpaid position, but with the opportunity to revisit the distillery on an expenses paid trip should this blog post be favoured amongst the others, how could I refuse? 

My first task (hopefully there will be additional duties) as a Drambassador is being to be among the first to discover a new Glen Garioch expression/vintage, receiving a blind sample along with some clues as to it's identity along with a bar of plain chocolate that had pieces of crystallised ginger stuck to it along with a small pot of jam.

The Drambassador's pack

The Clues

The first of my clues told me that the entire batch of this expression was distilled one Summer's day when Scotland took part in a global sporting event, and that the country where this event took place being closely linked to their tasting notes. 

My mind immediately thought of The Commonwealth Games, especially as Scotland would be hosting the event in Glasgow this year, but was it truly a global event? I considered some vintages: 1994-Victoria, Canada; 1998-Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 2002-Manchester UK. Three vintage years certainly, global? Yes, but not all inclusive. There has already been a Glen Garioch 1994 vintage, but 1998 could be a contender, but how could Malaysia be closely linked to the official tasting notes? Then there was 2002 and Manchester? I didn't think so!

With rugby being my favourite sport, this was my next line of investigation. I'm also aware that Morrison Bowmore Master Blender Rachel Barrie is also a big rugby fan, so this seemed to fit nicely. The Scotland rugby team have always featured in the Rugby World Cup tournament, a truly global sporting event, and totally inclusive (well if you can field a rugby team, and qualify!) and again I started to think of some vintage years: 2003-Australia; 1999-Wales; 1995-South Africa. Again three vintage years, but with 1995 and 1999 vintages already in the current line up, left only 2003 as a possible contender, alas being held in October and November didn't fit with the summers day, and with England being the winners that year seemed even less likely!

The only other Scottish sporting team I'm familiar with is the Football team, and with 2014 being a FIFA World Cup year, this also seemed 'topical'. Unfortunately Scotland hadn't qualified this year, and haven't done so since 1998, when the competition was held in France during the summer months of June and July. There's no 1998 vintage Glen Garioch, and since this year has cropped up twice in my initial investigations looked a strong contender!

My second clue told me that the Whisky is a perfect marriage of two regions, and that I might find that I may be reminded of something else. No research needed here? I wasn't sure, and thought I'd best read on to the end of my clues before tasting.

Clue number three told me the casks were previously stored in a cave, 100km from the Atlantic Ocean. Despite being the second largest ocean, with all of the East coast of the Americas and all of the West coast of Africa having Atlantic shores, I was still being steered towards a 1998 vintage and France, where 'cave' is also French for cellar and started thinking of wine casks from South West France.

The farmer called them 'effers' but I knew what he meant

The fourth clue was describing the type of wood this expression has been matured in: 'The oak shares it's name with a breed of cattle.' I know very little about breeds of cows but surprised myself with being able to write a fair number of cattle breeds down! All those Sunday evenings watching Countryfile paying dividends for my cow knowledge, but none of them closely resembling names of oak! Friesian Oak anyone? Perhaps I needed to review types of oak used for casks?

And so I discovered that Limousin was not only a region of France famed for its oak forests, but also for a breed of highly muscled beef cattle. While researching Limousin I discovered that it's grove of French Oak was prized for it's distinct character and flavours in wine fermentation, and that vintner Rémy Martin has exclusive rights to these oak groves, a partnership that has been established for over 100 years. 

I needed to find out a little more about Rémy Martin next, as it was most likely that the casks used would have once held something from them. Whilst I had heard of the brand and knew that they were famed for their Cognac, I wasn't aware of any whiskies being matured in Cognac casks. I also need to find out if Rémy Martin used caves to mature their Cognac! 

Further investigations told me that because of it's 'loose' grain Limousin oak is most suited for Cognac, Armagnac, Sherry and Whisky ageing. Discounting whisky, I considered the two French spirits, Cognac and Armagnac, both fitting into the 100km from the Atlantic range, but I'm not familiar with either of them, having never tasted either. Can you believe that? I'm the wrong side of 40 and have never tasted Cognac or Armagnac, something I intend to change this year! 

I then considered Sherry, and upon deciding it was indeed sherry o'clock poured myself a glass of Fino, that was a smart move! I've been on a bit of a sherry mission recently, initially from curiosity to find out a little more about the fortified wine casks so often used in whisky maturation. Sherry comes from Jerez in Spain, which also features an Atlantic shoreline, so could also be a possible contender! 

So before tasting this new expression from Glen Garioch I have determined (rightly or wrongly) that it was distilled one summers day in 1998, that it has been matured in French oak casks, Limousin Oak to be precise, and that the casks had been previously used, so definitely not virgin oak, and possibly Cognac casks.

This brought be straight back to clue number two; a perfect marriage of two regions, Scotland and France, the 'Auld Alliance', perhaps I could be on the right track?

Where is this chocolate and jam leading me?

But where does the chocolate with crystallised ginger and pot of jam fit in with all of this? I hear you ask. I pondered with the same question, for hours. Before I knew it I'd eaten half the rich dark chocolate and picked off most of the crystallised ginger, I was getting nowhere! The French aren't well known for their chocolate, especially as two of their neighbours are renowned for their chocolatiers. The jam seemed to be a type of plum jam, not Victoria plums, but more of a Damson Plum, or Blackcurrant And Plum. France is famed for a type of Plum Jam, though Mirrabelle Plums are golden plums grown in the Lorraine region and much of the production goes into jam making, but it's an orangey yellow colour.

Whisky Discovery #780

Glen Garioch 1998 'French Oak' ex-Cognac casks (48% abv)

Highland Single Malt

Price tba

I give you the new Glen Garioch 1998 Cognac Cask in front of some 'familiar friends

I tasted this on its own and immediately found the 'house style' in my mental notes. I decided That I must be frugal with each pour, keeping it to no more than 15ml each time as I wanted to sample at different times of the day, and get a morning tasting in too, seeing as I had a long Easter weekend. I also wanted to try it with and without water (really taking this role seriously) as well as sampling alongside the othe Glen Garioch expressions I have at home; Founders Reserve, 12 Year Old and 1995 Vintage. 

I decided to stick with the Cognac Cask for my guess as further investigations into the Suntory brands led me to Louis Royer, a Cognac producer from Jarnac which is just to the East of Cognac, fitting nicely with the 100 km rule, and closer inspection of their website seemed to indicate caves were used to store the casks. However, if I was supposed to find Cognac notes it this new expression, I've failed miserably as I wouldn't know a Cognac if it slapped me in the face!

So What Did I Think?

Colour: Yellow Amber (or Ambre Jeune)

Nose: A familiar Glen Garioch spicy herbal note of heather greets you, with an underlying honey sweetness. Not quite as spicy as the Founders Reserve, and not the soft honey sweetness of the 12 Year Old, something right in the middle of the two. There's no aroma dominating the nose, it just comes across balanced, with some gentle fruit notes, soft pears and white grape notes. a drop of water brings some fresh sawn lumber and releases waves of soft vanilla.

Palate: Rich and refined, a lovely malt-wood balance, with a mouth-coating quality that again feels right. The spices build quickly which last right through to the long finish, along with a zingy peppery note, but never over powering. There are flavours of fine oak wood, shavings from a carpenters plane, the grape juice note follows from the nose, bringing sweetness to the balance, then right at the end there is a touch of earthiness to it. a drop of water releases ginger, but not the crystallised ginger I was expecting.

Finish: The finish is long initially spicy, which is followed by the oak wood flavours, some of the oak tannins starting to dry the mouth, inviting another sip, then again a touch of earthiness at the very end.

Empty Glass: My morning treat, nosing the empty glass (covered overnight) the following morning gave malty chocolate notes and a touch of that herbal heather.

Verdict: A lovely inclusion to my flight of four Glen Garioch's, and it sat very nicely alongside one of my favourite vintages, the 1995. I'm very much looking forward to it's release and revisiting this, because it really is something I would like to put on my shelf.

Sláinte! Dave