Whisky opinions, articles, feature pieces, info and reviews.
Is whisky too expensive? How much should you pay for a good bottle of single malt? How much should you pay for a bad bottle of malt? Why are some distilleries or labels so expensive, whilst others seem so much cheaper? Why do NAS whiskies cost so much, when all you ever hear about is that their vattings contain mostly young malt? In fact, when it all boils down: Why is whisky so expensive?
That’s a lot of questions. So what are the answers?
Wondering what to do at a whisky tasting event or how to plan for it? Read on…
{But first: There are two versions of this article – one specifically for Australian readers, and one for international readers. This is the Australian version – if you’d like to read the international version, click here}
Heading off to a whisky show soon? Good for you! For too many years, Australians were starved of the opportunity to attend whisky expo events. We’d all hear and read about the amazing Whisky Live events overseas, or even the epic DramFest in New Zealand, but it’s only relatively recently in Australia that these events are becoming regular attractions in most of the capital cities.
(For those who like a bit of history, the first true expo event in Australia was in Canberra in 2003 as part of the Australian Malt Whisky Convention, organised by the MWSoA. That was a biennial event that was then repeated in Sydney in 2005 and Melbourne in 2007. After a hiatus, it returned in Adelaide in 2013. Whisky Live arrived on the scene in Sydney in 2009, where it was joined a year or two later by The Whisky Fair, followed by The Whisky Show in 2012. Other local organisations have joined the party, such as the QMWS hosting their expo in Brisbane since 2011. More recently, The Whisky Show spread its wings to Melbourne, and of course, Whisky Live has now been a nationwide roadshow in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane for the last few years. And, whilst their scale is much, much smaller and limited to their own label, let’s not forget the “Steps to Heaven” or “Extravaganza” tastings put on by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society around the country since 2009). More recently, independent events such as Whisky Freedom (Perth) and Whisky & Dreams (Melbourne) have added to the scene.)
The point is, most Aussie whisky enthusiasts can now attend an expo-style event in their capital city. I recently reflected on how many different articles I’d written over the years (mostly for SMWS publications) that shared a theme or objective that could loosely be summarised as “How to get the most out of your dram”. But something that hadn’t been addressed in any detail is how best to plan your attack when attending an expo tasting event. Playing it right, or otherwise, can mean the difference between having an outstanding sensory and culinary experience, or having a dull, confusing session.
As someone who regularly attends these events as both a regular punter and as an exhibitor behind the table, I’m only too aware that attendees need to plan their session or employ wise strategy if they are to get the best out of what is on offer. Play it wrong, and you truly rob yourself of a rewarding, positive opportunity.
Continue reading “Heading off to a whisky show? Read this first! (Aussie version)”
The latest (and very special) release from Glenmorangie had its first Australian outing on 17th October when Glenmorangie Taghta was showcased as the Welcome Dram at the Spring Tasting of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Sydney.
As attendees entered the room for the tasting evening, they were handed a dram of this deliciously-amber looking whisky, but were not told what it was. A short while later during the official welcome and introduction for the night, a quick straw poll was taken with the question, “Who liked this whisky?” Every hand in the room went up, and it was then that its identity and story was told.
Glenmorangie Taghta (pronounced too-tah) is being billed as a crowd-sourced whisky. It’s not all too dissimilar to what Glenlivet did with their Guardian’s release late last year. The difference on this occasion is that the crowd (the so-called “Cask Masters”) came from 30 different countries and participated in every part of the process: The bottle design, the labelling, the photography, and – most importantly of all – the selection of the whisky.
It’s a classic question that many whisky drinkers ponder: Which is better…Glenfiddich or Glenlivet? It’s also a great question, because if someone were to ask you, “What does a Speyside whisky taste like?”, then pouring a dram of either Glenlivet or Glenlivet would answer their question pretty nicely.
Both exhibit that classic Speyside style of being grassy, floral, sweet and malty, with that little extra “zing” for good measure. With Glenfiddich, the zing comes in the form of pear drops, whilst Glenlivet, for me, has a wee hint of citrus tang. Both drams are textbook examples of Speyside whisky.
Depending on your age, and certainly if you were introduced to malt whisky prior to the 2000’s, then there’s a very good chance that one of these two whiskies was probably your first ever single malt.
The two brands are giants of the industry and mutually respected (and respectful) competitors on the playing field. Glenlivet is the single malt flagship of Pernod Ricard (via its subsidiary, Chivas Bros), whilst Glenfiddich remains one of the last bastions of independent, family ownership, being the bedrock of William Grant & Sons. Both brands command significant market share. The Glenlivet has been the biggest selling single malt in the USA for years, whereas Glenfiddich can boast the global title of being the biggest selling single malt in the world.
As these two heavyweights front up to do battle, let’s compare their credentials and get ready to rumble… Continue reading “Glenfiddich vs Glenlivet – who will win the heavyweight title bout?”
On 1st October, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (Australia) held a very special SMWS / Bruichladdich / Jim McEwan masterclass.
It’s hard to write an objective, even a subjective review of a tasting event when you’re one of the co-hosts and facilitators of the event. However, this was a fantastic evening, with so much whisky love in the air, and so one can’t help but give some account of the evening. So forgive me if it comes across as a little biased…..
Jim McEwan, industry legend, is currently on a promotional tour across Australia to share the Bruichladdich story with whisky drinkers. Trade and open-to-the-public tastings have been organised in most of the capital cities, and the Australian distributor, South Trade, has got Jim on an incredibly busy schedule, with up to three or four events each day for the next two weeks. And Jim wouldn’t have it any other way.
Continue reading “SMWS Jim McEwan & Bruichladdich Masterclass”
Whisky dinners are a dime a dozen these days.
Actually, that’s not true…I concede they’re not that frequent, and they definitely cost more than a dime. However, where they often become tiresome is that they are usually just no more than a regular dinner with some whiskies thrown into the equation – rarely with much thought (or expertise) being applied to match the two.
Anyone can match a whisky to a dish. It’s relatively easy to taste a dish and then reach for your nearest whisky that vaguely shares commonalities. The classics get wheeled out all the time – smoked salmon with Talisker; venison with Glenmorangie; Ardbeg with dark chocolate; etc. Yawn.
Where real skill lies is to actually match the food to the whisky. Did you catch the distinction? Who out there can taste a whisky, and then go off and create or re-shape a dish that is built around the whisky’s flavours; builds or contrasts against the malt’s texture, depth, and alcohol; and then – most amazingly of all – create a pairing where the whisky improves the dish, and the dish improves the whisky? I know of only one man who can do this. And his name is Franz Scheurer. Continue reading “SMWS Whisky Dinner with Franz Scheurer & Brent Savage”
