February 28th, 2009

Compass Box Whisky is filled with “Optimism”

John Hansell

Optimism the whisky, that is. They’ve introduced a new whisky yesterday in London called Optimism. Here are some excerpts from the press release I received yesterday.

Artisan Scotch whiskymakers Compass Box have managed to bottle Optimism as a hopeful antidote to the global economic malaise.
 
“The more that people are optimistic about the future, the faster we will pull ourselves out of this depressed economic state,” says John Glaser, Compass Box whiskymaker.   “This is our small effort to try to help the world economy.”

Optimism by Compass Box is a vatted malt Scotch whisky with a rich, sweet, peaty character, bottled at 44 percent and available for £40 per bottle. It is a limited release whisky that will not be repeated before the next global recession.

I tried to post  an image of it up here that came with the press release, but it wouldn’t import. (Sorry about that.)

Category: New Releases,Scotch whisky 5 Comments

February 27th, 2009

Review: Three Hirsch Small Batch Reserve Bourbons

John Hansell

I’ve had these samples since late last year. (Sorry for the delay in posting my reviews.) There’s no indication of where these bourbons were distilled. I really enjoy the 25 year old.

Hirsch Small Batch Reserve, 46%, $36
A balanced and well-rounded whiskey, but it tastes a little youthful and spirity on the finish and lacks the depth I’m looking for to score it higher the 80s. Notes of maple syrup, crème caramel, and raspberry tart, with cinnamon, vanilla, mint and dried citrus peppered throughout. I like it, but there are better bourbons at this price point.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 80

Hirsch Small Batch Reserve, 25 year old, 43.4%, $270
Wonderfully complex on the nose and palate. Great depth too. Plus, the oak is kept in check. Notes of molasses, graham cracker, Earl Grey tea, spring flowers, nougat, evergreen, warming cinnamon and subtle tropical fruit, leading to a polished oak, charcoal-tinged finish. Very well done! The clear winner in this trio.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 93

Hirsch Small Batch Reserve, 28 year old, 43.4%, $447
Deep on the nose and heavy on the palate. Enjoyably perfumed aromas and an entertaining palate, with both showing a complex array of chewy toffee, cinnamon, candied fruit, roasted nuts, dusty cocoa and tobacco. But a very tactile leather and oak resin component dominates mid-palate through to the finish, spoiling the party. It’s past its prime.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 74

Category: Bourbon,Reviews 5 Comments

February 26th, 2009

Ask Dave Quinn, whiskey guru at Ireland’s Midleton Distillery

John Hansell

Malt Advocate readers know that we started a new column last year called “A round with…” where we interview interesting and knowledgeable people in the whiskey industry. Previous interviews have included Bill Samuels of Maker’s Mark bourbon, Willie Tait of Isle of Jura, and Jeff Arnett from Jack Daniel’s.

For our next issue, due out May 1st, we are having “A round with” Dave Quinn, Master of Science and whiskey guru for the Midleton Distillery in County Cork, where many of Ireland’s whiskey brands are made (Jameson, Power’s, Paddy, Redbreast, Tullamore Dew, Green Spot, Midleton Very Rare, etc.). Prior to Diageo purchasing Bushmills a few years back, Dave was also intimately involved with Bushmills too.

As you can see, Dave is a great guy to have a round with. Plus he is a really nice guy, which makes us even more excited about the interview.

We’re in the process of formulating our questions for Dave, and we have some interesting ones already. But we though, “Hey, why don’t we ask YOU what you would like to know from Dave?”

So, here’s your chance. Post up a question. If we like it, we’ll ask it to Dave and publish it. It can be a serious one about one of their whiskeys (or someone else’s whiskey for that matter), or it can be something lighthearted. We try to have a good balance of fun and seriousness. After all, this is “A round with…,” not an interrogation! (Just keep the question clean and fair.) Deadline is a week from tomorrow, Friday, March 6th.

Okay, what’s on your mind? What would you like to ask Dave?

Category: Interviews,Irish whiskey,Malt Advocate Mag 17 Comments

February 25th, 2009

Review: Bruichladdich “Octomore”

John Hansell

This is the new super-peated (131ppm phenol barley) Bruichladdich. “Super-peated” seems almost like an understatement. Ultra-peated, perhaps?

Bruichladdich “Octomore,” (Edition 01.1), 5 years old, 63.5%, $185
Intense smoke on the nose and palate, with notes of freshly tarred road, cigar smoke and ash, licorice root, bacon fat, kalamata olive and smoked seaweed. Struggling to emerge is youthful orchard fruit, honeyed malt, brine and soft vanilla. Long, smoky finish—like licking the walls of a peat-infused kiln. A very invigorating whisky. It’s a few years younger than the other ultra-peated whisky, Ardbeg Supernova. I think if they were both the same age, I would like them equally (And score them equally—I gave Supernova an 89). But the Octomore does taste a little green (it is only 5 years old after all), which was not noticeable in the Supernova. I think Octomore will be very good in another 5, and amazing in another 10. Let’s hope the lads at Bruichladdich are holding some stocks back.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 82

Category: New Releases,Reviews,Scotch whisky 11 Comments

February 24th, 2009

Great news: I’m now on Twitter!

John Hansell

Look at the right-hand column of this blog. You’ll see there’s a new “What I’m Doing” section below my “Recent Posts.” This is my new Twitter account, which I have linked here to What Does John Know? via one of my blog software “plugins”.

Many times I find out about something that would be of interest to you and very timely, but it’s not big enough to post a formal blog about it. Twitter is designed to be quick, easy, and short. And it’s easy for me to do on my Blackberry. For those of you who have WDJK? on your RSS feed, you can also do the same for my twitter postings (called “tweets”).

Here’s the scoop. I try to blog every day, and I think I’m getting you a lot of good information–before most other people find out about it. Twitter will now allow me to get information to you even faster and more frequently! And I might use this platform for somewhat less formal postings too, which I think you will enjoy.

So, when you come to check out my blog postings, don’t forget to look at the right-hand column for my tweets under “What I’m doing.” Even if I haven’t blogged that day, there’s a good chance I tweeted at least once.

Category: Administrative 8 Comments

February 23rd, 2009

Hangover-free whisky?

John Hansell

An Australian company has introduced a new whisky, called Naked Scot, which they claim will reduce the effect of a  hangover if you overdo it a bit. They say it’s because their whisky is free from pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides which, they suggest, causes hangovers. You can read one of the better stories on the issue (and a bottle shot of the whisky) here.

(They also make a line of rums called Kinky Rum. I was wondering.  If Naked Scot prevents hangovers, does Kinky Rum eliminate the need for Viagra? )

Two issues appear to have arisen regarding their claim. The first is whether it actually will get rid of hangovers. (Some suggest that dehydration plays a large role in causing hangovers.) The second one is that this implies that there are pesticides in the rest of the Scotch whiskies being sold, which isn’t pleasing the Scotch Whisky Association. This is all laid out in the link I reference above.

Maybe what they say is true–that it won’t cause hangovers. But not because it’s free from pesticides. Maybe this three year old whisky tastes so unpleasant that no one will want to drink enough of it to cause a hangover! The proof is in the pudding (or whisky, in this case), so I would like to try it before making any assumptions or accusations. (Although, Kinky Rum sounds a lot more inviting.)

Category: New Releases,Scotch whisky 8 Comments

February 22nd, 2009

Humorous whisky quotes

John Hansell

I think we could all use a good laugh right now, with all the doom and gloom going on around us.

Two weeks ago my family spent a few days in Miami warming our bones and relaxing a bit. While we were down there, the Miami Boat Show was going on. One of our friends sells boats and was down there for the show. He offered to take out in one of his company’s demo boats. It was a beautiful day, so we took him up on his offer.

While we were out on the boat, we started talking with the captain who was running the boat. Eventually he found out we publish a whisky magazine. I asked him if he drinks whisky and he nodded yes. He hesitated for a brief moment and then replied:

The last time I turned down a whisky, I didn’t understand the question.

I thought that was pretty funny. Then, later on, as we were bringing the boat back into the dock, we got to talking about whisky again, when he came up with this one:

The last time I drank whisky, I started returning things I never stole.

We liked that one too! Some famous writer or poet probably came up with these quotes. I can’t imagine they were his original sayings, but I enjoyed them nonetheless.

So, how about you? Do you have a humorous whisky quote you would like to share with us, and perhaps brighten up our day a little?

Category: Humor 25 Comments

February 21st, 2009

WhiskyFest strives for a more intimate experience

John Hansell

Bigger isn’t always better. WhiskyFest is over ten years old, and the events have grown each year to the point where attendance exceeds 2,000 people.

Many of you remember (and think fondly of) the WhiskyFests from several years ago, when the venue was a little smaller, crowds were a little lighter, and the event was more intimate. It was easier to attend seminars, navigate from one end of the ballroom to the other, and interact with the master distillers and blenders.

You spoke. We listened. We would like to recapture some of this charm and intimacy by reducing the size of WhiskyFest. Starting with WhiskyFest Chicago on April 1st, we will be cutting back slightly on the number of tickets we sell. This will reduce crowding and also make it easier to get from one end of the ballroom to the other.

We have also reduced the WhiskyFest Chicago General Admission ticket price by $20, to $95–a very important consideration give the current state of the economy.

By reducing the number of tickets we sell, and lowering our ticket price, we anticipate that WhiskyFest Chicago will sell out early, so please do not wait too long to purchase a ticket. And don’t forget: everyone who buys a ticket to WhiskyFest Chicago gets a free one-year subscription to Malt Advocate magazine (an $18 value), a complimentary Glencairn whisky glass (a $10 value), a gourmet buffet and free seminars.

For ticket information, go to www.maltadvocate.com/docs/whiskyfest/chicago/.

Category: WhiskyFest Tags: 4 Comments

February 20th, 2009

New Balvenie whiskies heading your way

John Hansell

In addition to the new Balvenie Golden Cask (14 year old Rum Wood Finish) introduced to Travel Retail, there are two new additional Balvenie whiskies headed our way over the next two months.

I spoke with the U.S. brand manager yesterday and she told me that Batch #2 of  Balvenie Signature will be coming out next month. And in April, a new Balvenie 1978 Single Cask will be released.

One of the William Grant traditions is to have various people or organizations help select the vintage releases of Glenfiddich and Balvenie. This new vintage was chosen by members of the International Bee Keepers Association (tying in the signature honey notes found in Balvenie).

I’ll be posting up my review of the Golden Cask soon (and comparing it to the recent Balvenie 17 yr. old rum cask finish). And when I get samples of the two new releases, I’ll let you know my thoughts on those too.

Category: New Releases,Scotch whisky 1 Comment

February 19th, 2009

Review: The Macallan 1824 Collection

John Hansell

I have a lot of new reviews in the queue. It’s been a while since I posted a review, so here are four!

Focus on The Macallan 1824 Collection
This is a new line of whiskies exclusively for Travel Retail, ranging from $60-$1,900. None of them have age statements. They are currently slated to debut in April, 2009, with the exception of the 1824 Limited Release decanter, which will debut in October, 2009. Prices were converted From Euros to Dollars at the current exchange rate of 1.3. These are advanced Malt Advocate magazine ratings, which will appear in the next issue.

85 The Macallan Select Oak, 40%, $60/1L
Straw gold. Well rounded, with fresh vanilla, berries in cream, caramel custard, toasted oak, and gentle dried spice. A really nice every day, anytime dram. The best price/quality ratio of the range.

83 The Macallan Whisky Maker’s Edition, 42.8%, $90/1L
Full gold. Oily in texture, with ripe barley, front-loaded toffee, honey drenched citrus, fallen orchard fruit, and a full complement of spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove). Gripping, resinous, slightly hot finish. The flavors don’t meld together here as well as the other three expressions, but it’s still a fun ride.

95 The Macallan Estate Reserve, 45.7%, $215
Amber color. Richly textured (great mouthfeel), with vanilla fudge, nougat, ripe citrus, and ginger cake, leading to a complex, spicy finish. Great depth on this one. And polished. My pick of the lot.

94 The Macallan 1824 Limited Release, 48%, $1,900
Antique amber. The darkest and most decadent of the four. Quite viscous and soothing, with well-layered notes of apple pie, marmalade, and maple syrup balanced by dried fruits, ginger, polished leather, tobacco and resinous oak. One to sip and savor very slowly. (This whisky is much better than the last ultra-premium release, the Macallan 55 year old in the Lalique Decanter, and thousands of dollars less.)

Category: Reviews,Scotch whisky,Travel Retail 15 Comments

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