January 11th, 2010

Review: Talisker 25 year old (2009 release)

John Hansell

Continuing my reviews of the Diageo 2009 special releases…

Talisker, 25 year old (2009 Release), 54.8%, $200
Comes across initially to me as reserved, perhaps even elegant, for a Talisker. Soothing too, with an oily texture. Quite fruity (orange, tangerine, apricot), perhaps even floral, with a delicate pastry sweetness. Then the more traditional Talisker notes kick in—brine, seaweed, warming pepper. Warming, peppery finish. A high-quality Talisker—albeit a bit reserved at times. I love its oily, viscous texture.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine release: 92

Category: Reviews,Scotch whisky Tags: 23 Comments

January 10th, 2010

Eades Whiskies: “Second Edition” is on its way

John Hansell

On Friday I received this note from Chris Allwood, creator of Eades Whiskies:

I thought I’d let you know that I am back in Virginia now, I spent the summer getting a new visa and finishing off our second edition whiskies with Jim McEwan. We have the same designations but older component whiskies and some very interesting wine barrel pairings. I have attached some information for your reference.

As I mentioned to Chris, I’m glad that this new edition contains older whiskies. The first release was a solid effort, but I think that some extra aging will improve the flavor profiles. I checked out his attachment, and here are the details of the new releases. I think it’s cool that he is open regarding the make-up of the whiskies.

2ndEdition Speyside
70% Dufftown 12yr Old finished in Zinfandel
30% Mortlach 15yr Old finished in Callejo

2ndEdition Highland
50% Clynelish 10yr Old finished in Chateau Lafitte
50% Ben Nevis 10yr Old finished in Grenache Blanc

2ndEdition Islay
70% Bowmore 10yr Old finished in Grenach
30% Caol Ila 18yr Old finished in Chateau d’Yquem

He’s sending me review samples. I don’t know how much they will cost yet, but I have a feeling they’ll be a little less expensive than the whiskies from my last two blog posts. :)

Category: New Releases,Scotch whisky Tags: 11 Comments

January 9th, 2010

The Managers’ Choice: Round 2

John Hansell

To get the full perspective, before you proceed, you really should read my blog post (and record-breaking 175 comments) on Round 1 here.

The press release below was supposedly embargoed until Monday.  But, since the cat’s already out of the bag, Diageo notified me today that I could post it up now. They did note, however, that the details on this second release probably won’t be up on their site until Monday.

Yesterday, I spoke with Nick Morgan, who oversees the limited edition and special releases. He told me that the bottles are already at the retailers in the UK and will get into circulation next week. The will eventually work their way into the rest of Europe within weeks. (Nothing for the U.S., sadly.) Nick also told me that Round 1 was successful and that most, if not all, of the bottles have been sold.

Just like Round 1, I’ll be getting samples of this batch. (It will take a while, with all the red tape.) I’ll let you know my thoughts after I taste them. Here are my tasting notes from Round 1.

So, what do you all think? Have you calmed down since the first release back in October? Has anyone tasted any of the whiskies from the first round?

Press Release:

Monday 11th January 2010

Diageo launches the next batch of their first-ever single-cask collection of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies

 

Following the first batch launched in September, Diageo have announced that the second batch of their single-cask collection of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies has arrived.

The project encompasses all 27 of Diageo’s Single Malts  -  the first time that Scotland’s biggest estate of Single Malt distilleries has issued a comprehensive series of single-cask bottlings. Labelled The Managers’ Choice, each distillery is represented by a very restricted bottling of its Single Malt Whisky drawn from one single cask, selected after a careful examination of distillery stocks.

The rare limited-edition series is aimed at collectors and connoisseurs who will enjoy owning and exploring an unusual expression of their favourite Single Malt or even a whole anthology of highly individual Single Malts, chosen to represent a unique take on each of the 27 distilleries’ distinctive distillery character.

The releases are being staged in four batches over several months. September 2009 saw the first release of six malts: Cardhu™ (1997), Glen Elgin™ (1998), Linkwood™ (1996), Mortlach™ (1997), Oban™ (2000) and Teaninich™ (1996).

This second release comprises of:

Blair Athol™

Cragganmore™

Dalwhinnie™

Dufftown™

Glen Spey™

Strathmill™

Talisker™

For each Malt, the cask was nosed, tasted, discussed and finally chosen as a highly distinctive expression of that distillery’s Single Malts by a judging panel of acknowledged experts, including leading maturation experts and the distillery managers themselves.

In many cases, unusual cask woods will have had their influence on the final result. Perfect maturation and spirit quality have been the criteria, resulting in a bottling that delights with original and sometimes unexpected flavours whilst allowing the distillery character to still shine through.

Depending on the size of the cask and the rate of evaporation over the years since it was filled, the volume of bottles obtained can vary between approximately 600 and as little as 200.These are, consequently, extremely rare and distinctive whiskies.

Each cask is bottled at its natural cask strength.   This means that the liquid the connoisseur pours into his or her glass is exactly as it emerged directly from the cask when it was hand-picked a few months earlier by the experts – it’s as good as a dram drawn from the cask in the warehouse itself.

Classic Malts Selection spokesperson Nick Morgan said: “As we said last year when the first batch of The Managers’ Choice was launched, this is the most extensive collection we’ve ever released of single cask malt whisky bottlings, from all 27 of our operational malt distilleries. 

“Our announcement last September provoked a great deal of interest and comment. The release was a huge success, with a number of customers asking for more allocation. It met all our commercial expectations: in some territories, these bottlings turned out to be the fastest-selling limited-edition single malt whisky bottlings we have ever launched. We expect the second batch, which like before offers both celebrated and lesser-known single malt whiskies, will also be very well received.”

Full details, including tasting notes, will displayed on the Classic Malts Selection™ website www.malts.com. The updated website content includes the story of The Managers’ Choice and the selection process, a “Meet the Managers” page where they talk about The Managers Choice collection & questions related to the world of whisky, whisky tasting notes & audio, Q&A with a Sensory Expert, and details of where to buy the whiskies. Whisky enthusiasts registered as Friends of the Classic Malts™ have been given advance notice of the launch.

ENDS

NOTES

Release dates

Stocks of the new releases are now available in UK specialist retailers. Retailers in Northern European markets (Germany, Switzerland and the Netherland) will be receiving stock in the course of January.

Release details – second release

MALT CASK FILLED NO. OF BOTTLES WOOD
Blair Athol™ November 1995 570 Bodega Sherry European Oak
  Butter scotch nose, with sweet, deep burnt flavours.
 
Cragganmore™ May 1997 246 Bodega Sherry European Oak
  An oaky fruity aroma with a warm dry finish,
 
Dalwhinnie™ February 1992 270 Refill American Oak
  Orange marmalade aromas with smooth bitter notes.
 
Dufftown™ May 1997 282 Rejuvenated American Oak
  Warm fruit cake aromas with a gentler smooth taste.
 
Glen Spey™ January 1996 276 New American Oak
  Toasted almonds with a warm finish.
 
Strathmill™ December 1996 300 New American Oak
  Fresh springtime aromas with caramel on the palette.
 
Talisker™ December 1994 582 Bodega Sherry European Oak
  Soft peat smoke, with lots of apple sweetness.

 

Pack shots are available – contact Pat Roberts on +44 (0)7774 424 410 or pat@cognispr.net

Prices

The UK RRP are as follows:

Blair Athol £200
Cragganmore £250
Dalwhinnie £250
Dufftown £200
Glen Spey £200
Strathmill £200
Talisker £300

Website

See www.malts.com for full details of the release, including interviews with many of those involved in the selection process

Diageo’s distilleries

Diageo has 28 operational single malt whisky distilleries, but spirit distilled at Diageo’s new distillery at Roseisle is not available yet.

Craig Wallace

Full interview with Craig Wallace, and other details of the first The Managers’ Choice releases, can be downloaded from: ResponseSource: http://tinyurl.com/lawdxf

Distribution

The Managers’ Choice bottlings are available from specialist retailers in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands only.

Category: New Releases,Scotch whisky,Uncategorized Tags: , 44 Comments

January 8th, 2010

Macallan ups the ante. Who’s got $90,000?

John Hansell

I turn 50 in June, so I suppose I could also title this blog “What to buy me for my birthday.” (Not that it would do any good.)

I found out from Luxist.com that Harrods is selling what’s called the Macallan Linley Whisky Case. (Click on the picture for a larger view.) To quote Harrods:

The Macallan is one of the world’s most awarded and admired Single Malts. This peerless reputation has been built on the commitment of The Macallan’s craftsmen.

Macallan commissioned renowned craftsman Viscount Linley to produce this exquisite whisky cabinet. Unique in every way, this is the only one in existence, was produced solely for Harrods and contains six bottles of vintage Macallan malt whisky from 1937, 1940, 1948, 1955, 1966 and 1970.

It is handcrafted from English Burr Oak and also includes six bespoke Linley crystal tumblers as well as a cigar humidor. This is pure luxury. Antique dealers will be dying to get their hands on this in the future making this the perfect investment.

You can find the link to the Harrods site  here, if you want to buy it for me form my birthday and lay it away until June. I promise to share the whisky with you. I’ll even buy the cigars.

Category: Opinions,Scotch whisky,Special offers 30 Comments

January 7th, 2010

Guest Blogger: Dave Pickerell, former Master Distiller of Maker’s Mark bourbon

John Hansell

We are honored to have Dave Pickerell as our guest blogger for January. Dave was the Master Distiller at Maker’s Mark for many years, and he really knows his stuff!

I asked him to give his thoughts on what’s going on with the micro-distilling movement, and here’s what he has to say. Thanks Dave!

He has a few questions for you at the end of his post. Post up your thoughts.

First off, I appreciate having the opportunity to “stand in” for John.  His knowledge, depth of insight and understanding and passion for the industry are evident in everything he does.  It is truly an honor to be here.  Thanks, John.

Since I left Maker’s Mark in April 2008, two things have captured most of my attention:  micro-distilling and rye whiskey.  I have spent untold hours probing the depths of both areas.  In fact, Oak View Consulting, LLC. came to life as a result of all that I have discovered here.  When people ask me just what I am trying to accomplish, I tell them that I am trying to “Put feet on dreams”.  However, with a bit of introspection that seems to come with each New Year, I now realize that I am not just trying to put feet on other people’s dreams … they are my dreams, too.

I have met with literally dozens of people who were interested in starting up some sort of distillery or other.  All of them have a passion, but some realize that they do not have enough know-how to get moving, while others are concerned that they may not have enough capital to actually get things off the ground.  It is my observation that many folks that want to start up a new distillery dream of making some sort of whiskey.  However, start-up and maturation costs run in the face of the business plan, and they end up making vodka or maybe gin instead.

Part of my dream is seeing lots of new expressions of whiskey … good ones … from all over America… hit the market… representing a new sort of terroir, where true geographical differences in the U.S. can not only be expressed but also clearly differentiated.  I believe that the effects of locality on grain, water, and climate can be best expressed in a micro-distillery.  Especially in the US, the big whiskey guys pretty much all express the same terroir … because they are located within a stone’s throw of each other and because they pretty much are so big that they are forced to buy commodity grain.  Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of very good whiskies being produced in the US … it’s just that locality has never been much of an issue.

It occurred to me that two things need to happen.  First, it is essential that the cost of equipment come down to a more affordable price.  Second, it would be good to have a competent one-stop source of information and help to get things up and running. Hopefully, I can in some way help with both of these issues.  I have been working with Vendome Copper and Brass Works on a holistic approach to micro-distilling … and thanks to a great deal of effort on their part, they have already had tremendous results in reducing the capital costs for starting a micro-distillery.  Additionally, I hope that any expertise that I might have gained through my years in the industry might also be helpful to some in getting things up and running.

Finally, the rye … with its bold and delicious character… There has been a lot of talk about the resurgence of Rye Whiskey … and to traditional cocktails (like the Sazerac, Old Fashioned, and Manhattan) that are absolutely delicious with a good measure of rye… no need to cover all that ground again.  Anyone who has had occasion to chat with me over the last year knows that I believe it is time to advance this category with a bold new expression or two … that’s my personal dream.

What do you think about the future of micro-distilling  (whether here in the U.S. or abroad)? And what do you think about my theories on terroir and its influence on a given whiskey’s flavor profile? And do you think rye will be the new hot whiskey of choice, or will it be something else?

Category: Guest Blogger,Microdistilleries,Rye whiskey 34 Comments

January 6th, 2010

Your recommendations for improvement?

John Hansell

I’d like your thoughts on ways to improve WDJK.

Before we get too far, let me say that, within a week or so, I will be going live with an enhanced blog design. Among other improvements, it will allow for embedded comments (meaning you can comment directly under someone else’s comment, regardless of where it is in the thread.) Videos are also in the works. When it goes live, you can give me your feedback on it.

But, right now, I am more interested in the content of this blog, rather than it’s design. What would you like to see more of? Less of?

At least one fellow blogger who we know and like said just today that we (WDJK) “can really be a buzz kill for those new to the world of whisky” and worries that it “does a disservice to fostering new relationships to Scotch whisky.”

How do you feel about this? Do you think this is true? Are we really deterring potential newbies from becoming Scotch whisky enthusiasts? If so, what should we do to correct this? (Dr. Whisky, your recommendations please?)

As always, your thoughts are greatly appreciated and can only make this blog better for all of us. Thank you!

Category: Administrative,Opinions 103 Comments

January 6th, 2010

Review: Port Ellen 30 year old (2009 release)

John Hansell

This is my next favorite of the recent Diageo Special Releases (after the Brora 30 year old).

 

Port Ellen, 30 year old, 57.7%, $370
Port Ellen whiskies are going to just keep getting rarer and more expensive. This old-fashioned whisky is beginning to show its age, but is still holding up nicely. It’s clean, with no excessive oak and soft sweet maltiness for balance. Earthy and rooty at times, with tarry rope, beach pebbles, leafy smoke, bourbon barrel char, black licorice, lemon peel, and hints of shellfish and diesel fumes (like following a boat in the ocean). Long, smoky, lightly briny finish.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 93

Category: New Releases,Reviews,Scotch whisky Tags: 29 Comments

January 5th, 2010

Who are the leaders in the whisk(e)y industry?

John Hansell

This post is in the same theme as the one I asked two days ago (regarding which distilleries impressed you last year). But this time I’d like to focus on specific individuals, rather than distilleries.

Taking a look at the whisky industry as a whole, and all the people involved in it, who do you feel are the leaders?  The pioneers? The individuals who set the examples for others in the whisky industry to follow?

I’ll start off the discussion. I can think of a couple individuals who continue to impress me.

As a true pioneer, John Glaser of Compass Box Whisky comes to mind. He, in many ways, created a whole new concept in whiskymaking, producing artisanal whiskies through the meticulous, passionate marrying of small-production, high-quality whiskies.

And as an industry leader, I think of people like Mark Brown, the President and CEO of Buffalo Trace. Since he took over, Buffalo Trace has been producing numerous high-quality, cutting edge whiskeys at fair prices. And we have only seen the tip of the iceberg.

But there are many more people doing great things. Who do you see at the forefront of the industry? And why?

Category: Opinions 37 Comments

January 4th, 2010

Review: Brora, 30 yr. old (2009 release)

John Hansell

Time to get serious with the reviews again. My focus this week: Diageo’s Special Releases. This is my favorite of the bunch.

Brora, 30 year old, 53.2%, $400
This whisky has all the good aspects of a very mature whisky (depth, complexity) without all the bad ones (excessive oak, one-dimensional). Very clean, but oily in texture, with honeyed vanilla, caramel, citrus (tangerine, orange, lemon), nectarine, olive brine, black pepper, ginger, cut grass, mustard seed, and just the hint of teasing smoke. Briny, spicy finish. Wonderful! (And becoming increasingly rare.)

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 95

Update:  As I mentioned below in one of my comments below, I have a small amount of this year’s 30 year old, the previous 30 year old and the previous 25 year old. I just lined them up and am tasting them now as I am typing.

My thoughts? An interesting comparison. I’m getting more caramel and toffee sweetness with the 25 year old, more brine and youthful zest with the previous 30 year old, but I really think that the new 30 year old is the complete package. Well rounded, very elegant and very clean!

Truely a classic! Perhaps I was too stingy with my rating? But then again, you know how tough I am from 95 and upwards.

Category: Reviews,Scotch whisky 48 Comments

January 3rd, 2010

What distillery impressed you last year? And why?

John Hansell

I’m not talking about just one whisky, but rather the distillery as a whole. And I’m including all distilling countries here.

Maybe it was  a new line of whisky. Maybe they changed the way they make the whisky. Maybe it’s the way they are holding the line on whisky prices. Whatever it is, let’s give credit where credit where credit is due.

There’s been plenty of criticism in your comments recently (much of it deserved), and we can all agree that last year was a rough year for all of us. The whisky companies are listening. Speak up. Let’s say something nice this time.

Which distillery really made you sit back and say: “Wow, they were really impressive!”

Category: Opinions 54 Comments

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