March 16th, 2012

Glenfiddich 125th Anniversary Celebration and Auction

John Hansell

I couldn’t make it to this event, but I heard it was a great time and all for a good cause. It’s nice to see the whisky companies using these rare old whiskies for charitable endeavors. If we can’t afford to taste the whisky, at least we know it’s being put to good use. 

Last evening a gala was held on Liberty Island, New York to celebrate 125 years of Glenfiddich. Actor Adrian Grenier hosted the charitable event along with Glenfiddich’s malt master, Brian Kinsman. An auction was held to benefit SHFT Initiatives which promotes sustainability issues through the intersection of commerce, art and design, and communication. Sold at the auction was a bottle of the 55 year old Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve, one of only eleven bottles available in the world. The hammer price was a record breaking $94,000. This now stands as the most expensive bottle of single malt scotch whisky sold at auction, according to the press release.

This commemorative bottling was created to honor the 110th birthday of Janet Sheed Roberts, the granddaughter of William Grant, Glenfiddich’s founder.

Left to right: Actor Adrian Grenier, Christie’s vice president Rachel Orkin-Ramney, and Mahesh Patel following Patel’s purchase of Glenfiddich’s Janet Sheed Reserve for $94,000.

Category: Auctions,Breaking news Tags: , 3 Comments

March 13th, 2012

White whiskey: bottled before its time, or the equivalent of an unaged rum or tequila?

John Hansell

Or is it neither?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. When craft distillers first started coming out with white (unaged) whiskeys, my first thought (being a guy who drinks most of his whiskey neat or with a little water)  was that they should age the stuff longer. If they need some cash influx to pay some bills, make some gin or vodka!

But it was soon posed to me that whiskey should be treated no differently than rum or tequila. Some rums and tequilas are aged for extended periods in oak barrels and are meant for sipping, but unaged (and lightly aged) stuff also has a purpose as a mixer. True enough, I always use silver (blanco) tequila when I am making margaritas. Anejo tequilas lose their agave vibrancy and get lost more easily in a mixed drink.

It didn’t take me too long to have a change of heart. I feel there’s room in the world for all ages of whiskeys, including white whiskey. And you know what? While they seldom are my first choice when I reach for a sipping whiskey, some of the white whiskeys are certainly enjoyable neat. And that there have been some very interesting cocktails made with white whiskeys.

So, my feeling is this when it comes to distillers (both large and small) putting out white whiskey: go for it!Make it for those wanting to buy it. Just don’t forget to set some of this lovely spirit aside in barrels for aging. I’m willing to wait…

How about you? What are your thoughts on the matter?

Category: American whiskey,Microdistilleries,Opinions 57 Comments

March 7th, 2012

Some new whiskies heading your way, and my thoughts on them

John Hansell

I’m back from vacation and getting caught up. A bunch of new whiskies came in while I was gone and I started tasting my way through them. Here are five that will be coming soon to the U.S. These are my informal thoughts. (I don’t have prices and availability right now, but will post the info up when I get it.)

I was really impressed with the new Aberlour 12 year old. It’s not chill-filtered and bottled at 48% . Nicely balanced, well-rounded, good subtle complexity and very easy-drinking. It should be a regular stock item in your drinks cabinet.

The Dalmore Castle Leod will be available in the U.S. in very limited quantities.  It’s a 1995 Vintage and bottled at 46%. There’s plenty of Dalmore lush fruit and spice, with good resinous grip on the finish. Lots of character here.

Isle of Jura 1976 Vintage is one of the oldest vintages of Jura I’ve seen here in the U.S. There’s a good dose of oak in this one–it’s age is obvious–but not unpleasantly so. It’s more of a juicy oak, rather than dry and harsh like some older whiskies I’ve tasted. And it’s soft and mellow. I enjoy it. There’s no dominant smoke or sherry like some of the past Jura whiskies, and it’s smartly bottled at 46%.

I like Glenmorangie, and I like Sassicaia Super Tuscan wine. The new Glenmorangie Artein combines both, by having the Glenmorangie whisky finished in Sassicaia wine barrels. The two work well together. It’s a Glenmo with loads of character and not dominated by the wine. Again it’s bottled at 46%. Hey guys, how about a three-pack?: one bottle of Glenmorangie Astar, one bottle of Glenmorangie Artein, and one bottle of Sassicaia? A guy can dream…

Finishing up: Knob Creek Rye. I really like the standard Knob Creek and thoroughly enjoy the Single Barrel Reserve (both aged 9 years). How’s this 100 proof rye? Bold and spicy, like you would expect a rye whiskey to be. My take on this whiskey is that it’s just mature enough to drink neat (there’s no age statement, but tastes a few years younger than the other Knob Creeks), and it’s youthful and vibrant enough to mix well in cocktails. It’s very versatile in this regard (as I am sure it was intended to be), but I would like to have seen it bottled at 9 years old like the other Know Creek offerings.

My general take on the whiskies above is that they’re all pretty good. No duds here to warn you about. And I hope the general comments give you a feel for what you’ll be getting into if you buy a bottle.

One thing I did notice from these whiskies is the higher proof and lack of chill-filtering. More of this, please!

I have more whiskies here to waiting for me to taste and review, including a few older Glenfarclas Family Cask whiskies (from three different decades) and a couple of older Glenglassaugh whiskies.  I’ll get to those soon and share my thoughts.

Category: New Releases,Rye whiskey,Scotch whisky Tags: , , , , 20 Comments

March 2nd, 2012

Impressive list of Master Blenders and Distillers slated for WhiskyFest New York

John Hansell

I’m back from vacation, and getting caught up with my work. I’ve been putting together the list of master distillers and blenders participating in our seminars as panel members at WhiskyFest New York on October 27th, and it’s impressive.

From Scotland

John Glaser, Compass Box

Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie & Ardbeg

Jim McEwan, Bruichladdich

Richard Paterson, Dalmore, etc.

Matthew Crow, Johnnie Walker

From Ireland

Barry Crockett, Midleton Distillery

Colum Egan, Bushmills

“To be determined”, Cooley Distillery

From the U.S.

Truman Cox, A. Smith Bowman

Parker Beam, Heaven Hill

Chris Morris, Brown-Forman

Harlan Wheatley, Buffalo Trace

David Perkins, High West

In addition, we will have our main Whisky Advocate writers and whisky reviewers on hand, moderating the seminars:

Whisky Advocate writers

Dave Broom

Lew Bryson

Jonny McCormick

Dominic Roskrow

Gavin Smith

We’re still lining up the whiskies for the event, but I can assure you that there will be some very special whiskies poured (e.g. Glenmorangie 1963 Vintage and Brora 30 year old!), and several whiskeys that will make their U.S. debut (e.g. Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy, and Barry himself will taste us on it).

We hope to have the complete agenda finalized by the end of March. Stay tuned.

Category: Bourbon,Canadian whisky,Irish whiskey,New Releases,Rye whiskey,Scotch whisky,Special events,WhiskyFest 6 Comments

February 15th, 2012

Of course, you know what the the best whisky really is…

John Hansell

It’s the one you like the most, regardless of what anyone else thinks or says.

I’d like to follow up our annual awards posts with some perspective. The awards are, of course, just a guide–a tool for you to use on your whisky journey. The same goes for our Buying Guide.

I’ve written about this in the past, but there’s many times I have opened a bottle of whisky over the years and didn’t think it was great. Good maybe, but not great. Perhaps it was a bit too young, or too woody, or too sherried. Often I “tweaked” it, by blending it with another whiskey (usually from the same distillery) to make it the way I want it to taste.

For example, I recently tasted an older single cask bottling of Glengoyne which was aged in an ex-bourbon barrel. It was bit woody, so I blended some younger sherried Glengoyne whisky with it (which I thought was a bit too sherried) and the new blend tastes great. (I aquired both bottles over a period of time without being able to taste them first.) I basically took two “mid-80s” whiskies (for me, that is) and made a 90+ blend out of it. And I’m sure there are plenty of people who would have been quite content with those whiskies just the way they were bottled.

The point I’m trying to make is this: what you think about a given whisky is what matters most. Try as many whiskies as you can and buy the ones you like. Use our reviews and ratings as tools along the path. But remember, it’s your path.

P.S. I’ll be taking some vacation but plan to post again here when I return the week after next. In the meantime, happy dramming!

Category: Opinions 17 Comments

February 13th, 2012

Whisky Advocate Award: Lifetime Achievement

John Hansell

The 18th Annual Whisky Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award recipients are Douglas Campbell of Tomatin Distillery and Dave Scheurich of Woodford Reserve. —Lew Bryson

Douglas Campbell, Tomatin Distillery

Our Lifetime Achievement awards go to people who have distinguished themselves in the industry over long years of service. In the case of Douglas Campbell of the Tomatin distillery, though…it goes a bit beyond that, in a generational sense. Campbell’s family has lived near Tomatin since 1894; his grandfather moved there to work on the Tomatin viaduct (completed in 1897, the same year as the distillery). His grandmother worked as a housekeeper at Tomatin house, and his father worked at the distillery as a cooper.

It’s no surprise then, that Douglas started work at Tomatin in April of 1961 at the age of fifteen. His first job was as a clerk, and he moved through almost every area in the distillery — the maltings, filling store, mash house, still house, cooperage — before being appointed head brewer in 1988, then distillery manager in 1990. He was appointed master distiller in 2009, and now, after 50 years with the company, man and boy, works as a brand ambassador.

Those who know Douglas Campbell describe him as a quiet, unassuming man who does not like being in the limelight. Our apologies for making such a fuss, Douglas, but dedication such as yours should not go unnoticed.  

Dave Scheurich, Woodford Reserve

Dave Scheurich started in the whiskey industry in 1969, with Seagram. After a solid beginning there, he moved in and out of the industry, always in production and packaging (including a stint as director of bottling for Wild Turkey), before joining Brown-Forman in 1989 as facilities manager for their corporate headquarters.

But what we really know Dave for is the project he got in 1994: the restoration of the Labrot & Graham distillery, which would become Woodford Reserve. He managed the $10 million renovation of the historic distillery, including the installation of the three copper pot stills. The enthusiasm and attention to detail he displayed in the renovation project led to his position as plant manager once the distillery started operations.

Dave took over Woodford in true old-school style: he moved into a house on the distillery property with his wife Della (who also worked for Brown-Forman as a Woodford Reserve bottler, tour guide, and brand ambassador). Until his retirement in 2011, he managed day-to-day operations: distilling, warehousing, bottling, and shipping.

He has since started a consulting business — clearly a man who can’t sit still — which is good news for those of us who enjoy his good company and habitual grin. Congratulations, Dave, and best of luck.

Category: Awards,Whisky Advocate Magazine,Writers Tags: , 4 Comments

February 12th, 2012

Whisky Advocate Award: Distillery of the Year

John Hansell

Midleton/Irish Distillers

It may well be that whiskey lovers were not surprised to see the continued resurgence of Irish whiskey in 2011. But the major shock was that it was Irish Distillers who picked up the baton and ran with it most convincingly.

Cooley had another great year, of course, and three world class contenders from Ireland in one year is normally headline-making form. But somewhat strangely, the company’s many excellent releases in recent years have never centered around Ireland’s most emblematic whiskey style — pot still. That’s where Midleton seized the initiative.

Although Irish Distillers seemed content to build its fortress around Jameson, it kept the Irish pot still whiskey flame a-flicker, with two wonderful expressions of Redbreast of its own, and the fresh and fruity Green Spot, produced for Dublin wine and spirits merchants Mitchell & Sons. The perceived lack of genuine support for the pot still whiskeys antagonized and frustrated diehard supporters more than delighted them.

So its decision to release not just one new pot still whiskey in 2011 but three provided the year’s biggest ‘wow’ moment. What’s more, all three were excellent, were significantly different from each other, and were to Irish whiskey what a cluster firework is to a night sky — bursting out in exciting new directions and bringing new colors to the canvas.

Powers John’s Lane and Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy — the former a rough and ready oloroso sherry cask heavyweight; the latter a pricier, more refined whiskey matured in ex-bourbon and virgin American oak casks — were bottled at 46%, two sides of the pot still coin. If the buzzer had sounded at that point, the fans would have gone home happy…but Midleton put the game into overtime with a cask strength version of Redbreast 12 year old, keeping the best for last. It wasn’t just the best release of the three, either; it was the best Irish release of the year, and, quite possibly, of any other year, too.

The coup de grâce came with a new pot still-heavy premium Jameson under the name Black Barrel; a creamy, oily, but recognizably Jameson whiskey. Astounding stuff — and game, set, and match to Midleton. —Dominic Roskrow

Join us tomorrow for the final 18th Annual Whisky Advocate Award announcement: the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Category: Awards,Whisky Advocate Magazine,Writers Tags: , , , 14 Comments

February 11th, 2012

Whisky Advocate Award: Lowland – Campbeltown Single Malt of the Year

John Hansell

Springbank 18 year old (2nd Edition), 46%, $150

Some distillers consciously set out to create trends and develop profiles, while others follow. A few more, however, really don’t give a damn about such things, and no one gives less of a damn than Springbank. Working on the ‘build it and they will come’ principle (as in God to Noah and the movie Field of Dreams), Springbank has developed a reputation for studiously avoiding trends and simply making excellent single malt whisky just the way it wants to.

The adjective ‘iconic’ is all too often lazily used as shorthand for something the writer cannot be bothered to pin down more specifically, but Springbank really does deserve the sobriquet, having almost single-handedly carried the torch for Campbeltown single malts and the whisky-producing region’s rich heritage through good times and lean; mostly lean.

Springbank remains one of the last family-owned distilleries in Scotland, and the distillery itself is superbly idiosyncratic, continuing to malt its own barley on traditional malting floors and to bottle on site. Three distinct types of spirit are produced, namely Springbank (distilled two and a half times), Longrow (heavily-peated and distilled twice), and Hazelburn (unpeated and triple distilled). The wash still is unique in being heated both by internal steam coils and direct-fired by oil.

It is an open secret that Springbank does not possess significant amounts of old stock, but 2012 is expected to see a very limited release of 21 year old, feted as a classic when previously bottled. For now, however, we have the second edition of the 18 year old version to savor. First released in 2009, with an additional bottling the following year, this expression has a high percentage of sherry wood-matured spirit in the mix, and it epitomizes the quirky, individualistic, robust, traditional Campbeltown single malt at its very finest. —Gavin Smith  (Photo by Jeff Harris)

Join us tomorrow when we reveal Whisky Advocate’s Distillery of the Year award recipient.

Category: Awards,Whisky Advocate Magazine,Writers Tags: , , 2 Comments

February 10th, 2012

Whisky Advocate Award: Highland Single Malt of the Year

John Hansell

Aberfeldy 14 year old Single Cask, 58.1%, £115

Today, Aberfeldy is a Highland distillery that actually boasts a higher profile than the single malt it produces, thanks in part to the popular ‘Dewar’s World of Whisky’ visitor center based there. Aberfeldy distillery was built by the burgeoning Perth-based family business of John Dewar & Sons in the late 1890s, and like so many Victorian distilleries, it was constructed beside a railway line to facilitate transport.

By the time of Aberfeldy’s establishment, blended Scotch whisky was taking the world by storm, and the new distillery was intended solely to provide malt whisky for the company’s increasingly popular blends. After passing through other hands, including Diageo’s, it was one of four distilleries acquired with the John Dewar & Sons name by Bacardi in 1999.

Inevitably, the vast bulk of all Aberfeldy single malt produced at the Perthshire distillery remains destined for the blending vats to help Dewar’s maintain its number one blended Scotch whisky position in the U.S. Nonetheless, Bacardi is keen to make more of this neglected gem of a single malt, and sales of the Aberfeldy brand have increased by 400 percent in seven years to some 25,000 cases per year, with the principal offerings being 12 and 21 years of age.

Single cask Aberfeldy bottlings are very few and far between, and this 2011 release is right up there with the best. After initial hogshead maturation, the whisky ultimately underwent a period of finishing in an ex-sherry cask prior to bottling. Here’s hoping 2012 brings more Aberfeldy bottlings of equal excellence. —Gavin Smith

Whisky Advocate’s Lowland – Campbeltown Single Malt of the Year Award will be announced tomorrow.

Category: Awards,Whisky Advocate Magazine,Writers Tags: , , 5 Comments

February 9th, 2012

Whisky Advocate Award: Islay Single Malt of the Year

John Hansell

Bruichladdich 10 year old, 46%, $57

There were any number of contenders for this: Kilchoman’s 100% Islay, the latest Special Release Port Ellen, Lagavulin’s stellar single cask Jazz Festival release, but the winner shaded it because it has something extra: symbolism.

In the decade that has passed since Bruichladdich’s reopening, the distilling team has had to contend with a hole in stocks — the result of the distillery’s closure — and the quality of the wood filled by its previous owner. They also had to make noise in order to ensure that the warm and fuzzy feeling generated by Bruichladdich’s re-emergence was maintained.

The way they answered these issues was by releasing a multiplicity of bottlings, often finished in different casks. While Bruichladdich was never far from the headlines, fans of the distillery and its people (and I count myself as one) began to wonder where Bruichladdich was underneath this plethora of different flavors and marketing bullshit. I wanted a marker. I wanted a bottling that said, “This is what we are, everything else is a variation on this theme.”

The 10 year old does just that. It is uncluttered by finishing and marketing; it is Bruichladdich, pure, clean, simple, identifiable. It says, “One chapter has finished, now the work starts;” it says, like Alice’s transforming liquid, “DRINK ME!” and that, let us not forget, is what whisky is all about. —Dave Broom

Tomorrow’s Whisky Advocate Award announcement will be the Highland Single Malt of the Year.

Category: Awards,Whisky Advocate Magazine,Writers Tags: , , 22 Comments

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