Team Turismo - Round 1
We just finished off playing Round 1 of ‘Team Turismo’ bracket, and though the favorites will advance, it was much closer than anticipated.I’d have to say that the overall satisfaction of each whisky was very well received. Ballantine’s 17 year was very full. A true top shelf whisky. J&B rare surprised some with it’s smooth consistent taste. Pound for pound, this well priced bottle holds its own with other house blends.Famous Grouse 12 yr edged out Cutty Sark, ok, maybe edged out is a bit of a stretch. Although both were enjoyed, it wasn’t that close on the scoreboard. We are looking forward to the next round with Ballantine’s 17 takes on the Famous Grouse 12
Mahogony - Round 1
It was a wonderful night of tasting as we started play in the Mahogany Region First Monkey Shoulder took on one of its relatives from the Grant and Sons distillery by edging out Grants Ale Cask. This was much closer than expected (or than price dictates) New as it is (2005), Monkey Shoulder is authentic to its core and uses only malt Scotch whisky from three of Speyside’s finest distilleries. Rooted in malt whisky lore, it is named in honor of the maltmen who once suffered from this injury through turning the barley by hand.As for Grant’s Ale Cask, it is the only Scotch whisky finished in Ale Casks. This is after the whisky is first matured in oak casks. The second match had the #7 seed Ballentine’s Finest going against the #2 seed Smokehead. This also proved to be closer than expected. Ballentine’s is very smooth and includes the whisky from over 50 single malts. It is regarded as the taste to satisfy a modern style. The first thing you notice from Smokehead is its clever marketing of tin and bottle. The second noticeable trait is the ‘nose’ WOW. A full bouquet of everything that is an Islay malt.
China Grove - Round 1
We started play in the ”China Grove” Region. Many of you most likely remember the Doobie Brothers from the Larry Bird/Magic Johnson College days. In a one sided affair Dewar’s White Label just didn’t have what it takes to test Johnnie Walker Gold. It was quite a privilege to start this tournament with such a fine whisky. The other match was considered a minor upset as Johnnie Red edged Chivas 12yr in a ‘drink off’ where we needed to go to the score cards to decide a tie vote. In this great first week match, Johnnie ensures at least one of the 4 brothers in this tournament is guaranteed a Final Four
(you can also follow this tournament via pages category)
Popularity: 100% [?]
Distillery Live 2009 - live from Maker’s Mark, Loretto, Kentucky!
Distillery Live Click Here
USA - 25/9/09 20:00 EDT
UK - 26/9/09 01:00 BST
Distillery Live will be on Friday September 25th at 20:00 (EDT) live from the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, USA.
The event will tell why Makers Mark are so special to Laphroaig (and will of course include a tasting of both) but will also include some food pairings and some very special cocktails!
Bookmark this page as on 25th September you will be able to log in and watch the video as well as submitting live questions to our panel.
To view this WebTV show, you’ll need Adobe Flash installed. If you don’t already have it, you can download it by clicking here. It can take a while to download so make sure you have it installed if you haven’t already before the event.
Distillery Live Click Here
Popularity: 76% [?]
It has been a little while since I tasted Canadian Club 20 yr CC or Wisers Red Letter (2 of my all-time favorite Canadian Whisky’s) but I have to think that I’ve just tasted this writers favourite Canadian whisky.
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting Kittling Ridge Distillery in Grimsby Ontario, for the unveiling of Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve.
But don’t just take my word for it.
Read what first generation Whisky maker John Hall says…
“I believe it is one of the best whiskies I have tasted. I only wish I had made more of it. I started this whisky in 1993 by preparing vintage port wood barrels. My vintage ports were made from Niagara grown grapes and aged in white oak heavy charred barrels. I must confess I am fond of vintage ports so the patient waiting was rewarded not only with a wonderful whisky, but with some very tasty ports.
My Port Wood Reserve is made in the same style as Forty Creek Barrel Select and Double Barrel, in that I do not use a mash bill. My varietal whiskies are aged separately, and once completed, they are brought together for further rounding out. In this whisky, the forty Creek blend was aged in the vintage Port Wood for another two years prior to bottling.”
Relating to Forty Creek, check out these opinions from world renowned whisky experts
Only 3000 bottles Ontario only get yours signed soon
Popularity: 89% [?]
smh.com.au
Australia’s emerging Whisky industry takes a step onto the world stage this week as it hosts an international tasting event for the first time.
Four Australian distilleries will have their products on show at Whisky Live, an event that began in London in 2000 and this year includes Sydney in its travels to 15 cities.
While Scotland may traditionally be known as the home of whisky, Australia is becoming an increasingly significant producer of the sophisticated spirit, organisers said….
…… In the years since others have taken to the fine art, particularly in Tasmania, where a combination of good quality barley, pure water sources, highland peat bogs and a cold climate create a perfect location to make malt whisky…
Full article
Popularity: 71% [?]
By Bill DiBenedetto | September 10th, 2009
triplepundit.com
Leave it to the Scots to find ways to get energy out of whiskey.
If you like your whiskey neat or even if you don’t this is pretty neat — Helius Energy Plc and the Combination of Rothes Distillers (CoRD) formed a joint venture known as Helius CoRDe, which will build and operate a biomass energy plant using whiskey distillery by-products.
The proposed £50 million ($82.7 million) project would reduce the carbon footprint of the whiskey industry on the Scottish island of Speyside.
The plant will use whiskey distillery by-products to fuel a 7.2-megawatt GreenSwitch biomass combined heat and power plant (CHP) and a GreenFields plant that will turn the liquid co-product of whiskey production, known as Pot Ale, into a concentrated organic fertilizer and an animal feed for use by local farmers.
Popularity: 81% [?]
Mark Smith, the Herald
Published on 11 Sep 2009
The Scotch whisky industry is not in crisis, in spite of mass layoffs at Diageo and recent production cuts at Chivas Brothers, and the forthcoming global export data will prove it, insiders at the Scotch Whisky Association claim.
The industry body’s figures for the first half of 2009, set for release at the end of the month, will reveal an uptick in the overall value of shipments around the world, SWA insiders said.
Read On
Popularity: 53% [?]
