Indeed, whisky has helped create a lot of great memories along the way. Surely you have a fond whisky-related story that we might enjoy?

As you can imagine, after drinking whisky for 30 years and writing about it for 20 years, I have a lot of stories I could share with you. But for now, I’ll begin with this one, as it is the first one that popped into my head.

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It was my first trip to Islay about 20 years ago  on a chilly November morning. I was by myself, and I had just taken the ferry (with my rental car) over from the mainland after a splendid weekend in Campbeltown.

It was lunchtime. I was thirsty for a pint of beer and hungry for food. I heard about the Lochside Inn in the town of Bowmore and their great whisky selection, so I wanted to check the place out.

Great whisky indeed! I perused the amazing selection of Islay whiskies while I drank my pint, contemplating what whisky I will enjoy before the day is over. Then, I sat down at one of the tables to grab a bite to eat.

Next to me, also alone at his table, was an older gentleman who appeared to be in his 70s. I noticed he was finishing a half pint of beer (and that he also had a walking cane on the empty seat next to him). I bought him a round and asked him to join me for lunch, which he did.

I can’t remember his name (I have it written down somewhere in my notes.) It turns out that he worked at the Caol Ila distillery for close to 50 years before he retired. He told me that, because of his bad leg, he can’t drive anymore. But, if I drove him to the distillery, he would give me a personal tour. Of course, I said “yes”!

So, we finished our lunch and drove over to the distillery. On the way he told me about Islay life and the Islay people. And he gave me a tour like you wouldn’t believe. Amazing stories–some that no PR company would ever want told in public. For example, it was the first time I learned about adding soap to the pot stills to keep the frothing down during distillation.

It turns out this clever old chap had an alterior motive for my taking him to the distillery. On our way out, he popped into the office quick to say goodbye (or so I thought). The receptionist behind the counter walked into the back room, brought out a bottle wrapped in a plain brown bag, and gave it to him. He quickly slid the bottle out of the bag, looked at it, and then slid it back into the bag.

During the ride back, he didn’t mention the bottle once. I figured that, as part of his retirement package, he was allowed  an occasional bottle of whisky. The problem is, he couldn’t drive anymore (and neither did his wife) to pick it up.  I was more than happy to oblige.

As I was dropping him off in Bowmore, he invited me to join him and his wife for dinner. Naturally, I said I would. Later that evening, the three of us had a wonderful dinner. And then he pulled out of the bag that same bottle he got at the distillery. It was the old distillery 12 year old bottling (prior to “Flora and Fauna” Caol Ila releases). He opened it up and we drank a dram together, to finish off the evening. Great whisky. Great day!

It was my first distillery tour on Islay, and it was the beginning of an amazing five days on the Island which was almost spiritual in nature. I will never forget the great whiskies I tasted along the way, the simple beauty of Islay, and the wonderful people living there. I have been back to Islay many times after that, but I will always remember my first day on Islay.

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So that’s my story. What’s yours? We could really get a nice thread going here. Think about a special whisky moment you have experienced, and please share it with us.

 If you have a moment, let us know where you live. Tell us what you’re currently drinking, what the weather’s like, or anything else you feel like saying.

I’ll start. I’m living in Emmaus, PA. It’s a small publishing town near Allentown, about one hour north of Philadelphia.

I just spent two hours snow-blowing the 8 inches of snow off my 1,200 foot driveway (seemingly uphill in both directions!), so I am very thirsty. Beer first, then maybe a whisky later.

Oh, one more thing:  I’m glad you’re here!

Back in early November I read about a geeky computer guy who made a PC out of a 1.5 liter Ballentine’s whisky bottle. (Picture on left.)

Now, we have the world’s first single malt menorah, filled with Tullibardine.

When it comes to whisky, there’s never a dull moment. And whisky marketing, whether just coincidental or fully intended, is getting more extreme.

What next, I wonder? How about a suggestion or two? Let’s help the whisky companies out by coming up with a few ideas of our own.

We’ve been getting a little too serious of late. Let’s have some fun. I know many of you out there have the intelligence, creativity and wit to do this.

Come on. Don’t be shy. Let’s hear them.

I want to take time out of my Thanksgiving festivities to say that we have a good thing going here, and it’s because of you. Thank you!

I know that some of you would never even think of smoking a cigar, let alone smoking one while enjoying a whisky. But, for over 25 years, I have enjoyed an occasional cigar–and something good to drink with it.

Sometimes I’ll have rich, malty full-bodied beer to go with my cigar. Other times, I’ll have a nice vintage port wine. But many times I’ll enjoy a whisky with my cigar.

I don’t have a specific pairing, but I generally DON’T drink smoky whiskies with cigars, because cigars are already smoky. Rather, I look for something to complement my cigar–like a rich sherried Speysider or full-bodied bourbon.

For those of you who enjoy a cigar with your whisky (or whiskey), do you have a favorite pairing? If so, tell us what it is.

I’m leaning towards a really nice bourbon. I just haven’t figured out which one yet. I really like the new Evan Williams Single Barrel 2000 Release bourbon. That cork might be popped. And I’m still milking my bottle of Parker’s Heritage Collection Golden Anniversary bourbon. That’s definitely on my short list too. (I’m not driving anywhere, so I might just drink both of them! Or maybe even a third!)

How about you? Are you planning on drinking anything special? Or perhaps just your regular whiskey? (There’s nothing wrong with that, BTW.)

A LANDMARK EVENT FOR COLLECTORS OF FINE SPIRITS:
THE 1964 BOWMORE® TRILOGY TO BE OFFERED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN THE UNITED STATES

CHRISTIE’S NOVEMBER 14 AUCTION OF FINE WINES AND SPIRITS IN NEW YORK TO FEATURE A CAREFULLY-CURATED SELECTION OF WHISKY, COGNAC, BOURBON, ARMAGNAC, RUM AND MORE

New York – With the winter season fast approaching, Christie’s is delighted to announce its November 14 sale of Fine Wines and Spirits, with a special selection of spirits that are sure to ward off the chill of cold days to come.  Over 40 lots of carefully-curated whisky, bourbon, cognac, armagnac, and rum will be offered from prominent sources, including the Park Avenue Liquor Shop, one of the most respected spirits retailers in the country. 

In addition, Christie’s is honored to have been selected as the first U.S. sales site to offer the exceedingly rare 1964 Bowmore® Trilogy (pictured above) direct from the Bowmore distillery in Scotland.  An exceptional selection of fine and rare wines rounds out the sale, with recent and mature vintages of Bordeaux and Burgundy in great supply, along with collector favorites from California, Italy, the Rhône Valley, and Champagne (separate press release available).  The total sale of wine and spirits includes over 800 lots and is expected to realize in excess of $2.1 million.

View our latest wine sale catalogues online here:
http://www.christies.com/departments/wine/wine-ecatalogues.aspx

The second one is by Bonhams in Edinburgh on November 18th. This one features a rare Dalmore Oculus (pictured), along with the 3,000 plus bottle collection by deceased whisky enthusiast Willard S. Folsom. Details from their press release:

BONHAMS SELLS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST VALUABLE WHISKIES, THE DALMORE OCULUS, IN 18TH NOVEMBER WHISKY SALE
 
Bespoke bottling created to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of whisky auction sales
 

As part of Bonhams Edinburgh’s highly-anticipated November 18th Whisky Sale, whisky enthusiasts will have the unique opportunity to purchase an exceptional one-of-a kind The Dalmore Oculus, amongst other distinguished whiskies.
 
This rare and unique Dalmore Oculus is one of the most precious whiskies to ever appear at auction. It is both the first and last of its kind, assembled from some of the most exceptional whiskies of the past 140 years and is thus estimated to sell for a staggering £15,000-20,000.
 
Due to its rarity and depth of stocks The Dalmore has long been recognised as a brilliant single malt. Jim Murray, whisky guru comments it is “one of the world’s greatest and undervalued distilleries”.
 
This particular unique expression of the Dalmore Oculus was created by master-distiller Richard Paterson, drawing on some four decades of experience. With his intimate knowledge of the stocks, Richard Paterson fused an incomparable and brilliant assemblage, beginning with a rich spicy and orange zest core from cask 1781 (distilled in 1951), trace elements of the taste and smell of dried fruits, ripe bananas, treacle toffee and almonds from an original fifty year old are added to develop complexity. Alongside these elements, rare malts selected from vintages distilled in 1868, 1878, 1922, 1926 and 1939 add a depth of flavour. Finally, to intensify the whisky, an incredibly intense oak, spice and bitter dark chocolate long matured distillate from cask 1782 is added to the mix alongside the whisky’s ‘capstone’: a judicious amount of the revered 64 year old, proffering notes of coffee, aromatic spices and citrus zest.
 
Such alchemistic artistry creates a peerless whisky fusion, which is beautifully presented in a precious Baccarat crystal decanter. This exceptionally crafted bespoke decanter is decorated with an intricate solid silver iconic stag standing alongside the name of this extraordinary whisky.
 
Richard Paterson, master distiller at The Dalmore said: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and The Dalmore Oculus is without doubt a truly exceptional expression. This is the most exquisite expression I have personally crafted with all the loving reference it so richly deserves to seduce the most discerning and sophisticated plates imaginable. I am confident it will appeal to epicureans, investors and collectors”.
 
Alongside the Dalmore Oculus, Bonhams will also be selling the first section of the largest single-owner collection of whisky ever to appear at auction. The 3,000-strong Willard S Folsom Collection of Old and Rare Single Malt Whiskies has been amassed over an 18-year period and features wide ranges of Ardbeg, Bowmore, Dalmore, Glenfiddich, Laphroaig, Springbank, Kinclaith, Killyloch, Ben Wyvis, Glen Grant, Glenmorangie, The Glenlivet, Strathmill, Mortlach and The Macallan.
 
Martin Green, Bonhams Whisky Specialist comments: “The 18th November Whisky sale is the most interesting to take place over a 20 year period and marks the 20th Anniversary of Whisky Auctions. The inclusion of the Dalmore Oculus is an exciting addition to this high quality sale. The Folsom Collection being sold in Edinburgh, Hong Kong and finally in New York in December makes this a very interesting and progressive year for Bonhams Whisky Sales”.
 
For Bonhams enquiries please call 0870 0273622

There are some pretty special whiskies in both collections.

Here’s the scotch. They arrived while I was gone. They’re samples of the most recent Diageo special release single malts. They look very tempting, don’t they?

And here are the beers, which also showed up. They’re from Midnight Sun brewery in Alaska. One of my side jobs is that I review beer for America’s largest beer magazine, All About Beer.

So, for the next few days, these fine beverage are going to have to sit there and collect dust. I’m not sure who gave it (the flu) to me or what kind it is, but it sucks!

Still, I have fond memories of my weekend with the Heaven Hill folks, putting a nice dent into their inventory, and that will get me through this.

And don’t worry, I’ll still be blogging. I was going to take the next two days off and go fishing, but now it looks like it’s just me, my laptop, and the TV. (Maybe even a book!) Plus, I reviewed several whiskies (and whiskeys) last week which are in the queue here.

This year’s Evan Williams Single Barrel: 15th vintage!! 2000 vintage.

Master Distiller Parker Beam talking about the new vintage!! Cool!

Parker and Craig Beam pouring. Damn I’m thirsty for a bourbon–out of the barrel, no less!  142.9 proof! Their highest ever!

This is the closest thing I will get to Communion!!

Gary Regan: I poured too much water in mine, can you top it up Craig?

Why didn’t I think of that?

Larry Kass at Heaven Hill (not pictured): ” We have this really cool high speed bottling line. You should see it.”

Me thinking to myself: “Oh no, not another bottling line! The least exciting part of any distillery tour.”

And to end my evening at the bar called Proof: a penguin taking care of business, surprising us all…

Saturday night, I’ll be attending the unveiling of the newest Evan Williams Single Barrel.  That should be fun too!

If you’re following me on Twitter (http://twitter.com), you’ll get some live tweets from me during the events. If you’re not, that’s okay. I’ll post up anything worthy here on WDJK when I return.

The live webcast featured Distillery Managers John Campbell (Laphroaig) and Kevin Smith (Maker’s Mark) and me at the Maker’s Mark distillery. We tasted some of the Laphroaig single malt scotch line (10, 18, 25) along with Maker’s Mark bourbon. We also taste some cocktails and food made with whiskies from both distilleries.

There’s lots of great stuff in this webcast. I think you’ll enjoy it and maybe even learn a thing or two.

Have a look. Let me know your thoughts. And let me know if you have any questions we didn’t answer.

Incidentally, did anyone watch the webcast? Your thoughts?

Here are the six whiskies, along with a description of each, as provided by the whiskymaker.

Isle of Jura- Willie Tait: “I put a hogs head of Jura down on the 23rd Nov 1989, on my daughter’s 13th birthday. This was my legacy for my children, as they have already taken all my money.”

Bruichladdich- Jim McEwan: “The title of my whisky will be “Working on a Dream” it will be a vatting of 46 years of Bruichladdich as that is the time I have been in the business. A single malt made by humble men on the west coast of Islay whereby you can feel and taste their personality, honesty and passion in every sip you take.”

The Dalmore- Richard Paterson: As Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface for the very first time at 02.56 GMT on 21st July 1969, the new spirit of Dalmore down on Earth on this very same day was being transported onto the circular surface of American White Oak to begin its epic journey too.

The Balvenie- David Stewart: David now has an intimate knowledge of where his personal favorites are within the Balvenie warehouses, many of which he has been carefully nurturing for several years. David’s unique bottling will be a single cask sampling drawn directly from one of this highly personal selections.

Glenfiddich- Brian Kinsman: Cask samples are retained long after the cask has long been bottled and savored. They form a historical archive of Glenfiddich’s greatest and best. Brian will be selecting from these precious remnants to craft a unique and unrepeatable one-bottle “vatting” of Glenfiddich.

Buffalo Trace- Our charity Buffalo Trace bottle contains the very first sample ever drawn from our “Millennium Barrel.” This barrel was filled on December 31, 1999, that’s why we call it our “Millennium Barrel.” It was the very last barrel that we filled on the last day of the last century.

This is about as rare as whisky gets. And you can be sure they are going to taste great. Come to WhiskyFest San Francisco, try one of these rare treats, and help support a good cause.

This should be fun. If you’re not doing anything at that time, tune in. We’ll be tasting Maker’s Mark bourbon, as well as several Laphroaig expressions (including the new 18 and 25 year old whiskies). Here’s the link to the site with all the details.

I toured the distillery back in 2007, and the spirit I tasted showed great potential.

Congrats to Kilchoman! I’m looking forward to trying this whisky!