As someone who is firmly entrenched (and ensconced) in the world of malt, I don’t concern myself too readily or seriously with blended whisky. But don’t misread that last sentence. By the same token, I make a fairly concerted effort to ensure I don’t fall into the trap of being a malt snob, or dismissing blends without giving them due regard. There are some tremendous blended whiskies out there, and it would be both arrogant and folly to write off an entire category of whisky, simply because one’s tastebuds have developed beyond the likes of Vat 69 or 100 Pipers. So, when the good folks at La Martiniquaise in France offered to send me a bottle of their newly released Label 5 “Gold Heritage”, I felt obliged to give it a fair hearing…
Tag: Whisky
Glenmorangie “The Taghta”
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.
Whisky cocktails – are we doing the flavour a favour?
Have you ever tried a whisky cocktail? I’m referring to something a bit more exotic than a Rusty Nail or a Manhattan. The former – simply equal parts of whisky and Drambuie together – and the latter, a concoction of rye whiskey, vermouth, and bitters, are both time-honoured classics, but it would be wrong to compare them with the more complex, complicated, and dare I say, fashionable whisky cocktails doing the rounds in today’s bars.
Whisk(e)y cocktails currently carry the buzz in the industry at present, and it’s been the case now for at least the last four to five years. Cocktails are seen as the introduction or stepping stone into whisky drinking. “Don’t like whisky? Here, have a sip of this colourful Highland Fling!” The marketing guys have been working furiously in recent years to shed the industry’s image of whisky being an older man’s drink, and so the bar and cocktail scene is where they’re targeting their message to attract a younger and more gender-balanced demographic to the category.
I concede there is a logic to it. We are in the latter (ending?) phase of the cult of the celebrity chef, and not everyone is hanging off every word and activity that the Gordon Ramsays and Marco Pierre Whites of the world get up to. In their place – at least in certain circles – we are seeing the rise of the celebrity cocktail expert. Or, to use the preferred parlance: The Mixologist.
Continue reading “Whisky cocktails – are we doing the flavour a favour?”
Glenfiddich vs Glenlivet – who will win the heavyweight title bout?
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?”
Your worst whisky nightmare (Int)
(There are two versions of this article: One intended for Australian readers, and one intended for readers in other countries. This is the International version. If you’re reading this from Australia, click here).
I should preface this piece by stating up front that it reflects the thoughts of an Australian and the general state of the whisky industry as it presented itself within Australia 10, 20, and 25 years ago. Readers in other countries may have had different experiences and opportunities…
Picture the following two scenarios:
- You walk into your favourite bottleshop or off-licence looking to see if there are any new and exciting releases, or simply just to pick up new single malt expression that you’d recently heard about. You head to the whisky section of the store, where there’s normally a selection of 30 to 40 different malts and brands to choose from. You get there, only to find that the shelves have been stripped almost totally bare. The only whiskies left on the shelf for you to choose from are Glenfiddich 12yo, Glenlivet 12yo, Johnnie Walker Red and Black Labels, and VAT 69.
- Exiting the store in despair, you rush to your favourite whisky bar, in need of a good Scotch to calm your racing pulse. You scan the shelf behind the barman, desperately looking for a juicy, non-filtered, cask-strength dram. Instead, you see only a bottle of Chivas Regal 12yo.
Is this your worst whisky nightmare? No. It’s reality.
It’s what life was like in 1989.
I am genuinely thrilled and delighted in the boom that the whisky industry is currently experiencing. Whisky is fashionable, it has an audience, it has a market, the distilleries are in full production, and people of all ages and demographics are flocking to its door. There are thousands of web pages, internet groups, and discussion pages devoted to whisky; there are whisky clubs that meet throughout cities and suburbia each night of the week; and there are books and magazines galore. Drinkers who are new to the category have never had it so good. But it wasn’t always this way……
Glenfiddich Excellence 26yo
There are many things to like about William Grant & Sons and their whiskies. One of the things I particularly like is that when they decide to do something, they do it well: Can they make a classic, approachable Speyside whisky that has broad, mass appeal? Check. Can they make a rare, special release whisky that services the luxury end of the market whilst still delivering a sublime experience for the tastebuds and which justifies the higher retail price? Check. Can they put on a great event to showcase and launch this new expression? Double check.
Tuesday 23rd September saw the launch of the new Glenfiddich Excellence 26yo expression in Australia. Held at the elegant and ye-olde-world-charm Elizabeth Bay House in Sydney, the evening unveiled not just the new whisky, but also an incredible photography exhibition that captured and reflected the journey of the wood and the casks that contributed to the whisky.
Any whisky brand ambassador or even the typical whisky packaging that wraps most bottles will make a point of talking up the whisky’s “pure, soft water”; it will play on how they used only the “finest Scottish barley”; and they will give a nod to the “long and careful maturation in oak casks”. But how often do we actually think about the casks? Not just the fact that they sat in a warehouse for 26 years, but what about their life prior to that? For example, the cask’s previous life where it sat in Kentucky maturing bourbon? What about transporting it to Scotland for the second phase of its life? Or what about the simple fact that it came from a tree in the US mountain ranges and was felled, quartered, and allowed to season before the coopers got their hands on it in the first place?
10 ways to annoy a whisky nerd
The growth and boom in the single malt industry in the last 15 years or so has given birth to the rise of the Whisky Nerd. The sort of person who knows (or thinks they know) every last detail about a distillery, or a particular bottling, or the latest industry gossip. They’ll be able to tell you which distilleries still use wormtubs; what year Laphroaig was founded; and – if you hand them a glass of anonymous whisky – they’ll sniff the glass and tell you which distillery it comes from; what its age is; and which warehouseman farted on the day the cask was filled.
They are the same people who can get very passionate if they hear you say something about whisky that they disagree with or believe to be incorrect. Fights have started and blood has been spilt over such simple opinions like which vintage release was the best ever Ardbeg! (Okay, readers, so was it the 1977 or 1974?)
So – if you’re the sort of person who likes to upset an OCD sufferer by visiting their house and tilting all of their hung pictures so that they’re crooked on the wall – here is a list of things you can say or do to annoy a Whisky Nerd:
Chivas Regal Extra
As someone who’s more known for championing the cause of single malt, it’s very rare for me to pour myself a blended whisky, let alone to then sit down and ponder it for half an hour or so. It’s even rarer for me to subsequently then make some tasting notes and to give a blend a write up. But, sometimes, you just can’t turn your back on a good whisky…
Something to Mull over – Tobermory & Ledaig
Any whisky lover making the pilgrimage to Scotland invariably makes their way to the west coast, and sooner or later will end up passing through Oban. Whether heading north to Skye, or south to Islay, sadly, too many travellers overlook the opportunity to jump on a ferry and head west to Mull. For it is there that a small, hidden gem awaits: The Tobermory Distillery – home to the whiskies of Tobermory and Ledaig.
Continue reading “Something to Mull over – Tobermory & Ledaig”
Balvenie 14yo Caribbean Cask
Monday 28th July saw the official launch of the eagerly anticipated Balvenie 14yo Caribbean Cask expression in Australia. Held at The Cuban Place / Parke Davis bar in York Street, Sydney, it saw a gathering of the usual suspects to enjoy what William Grant & Sons Australia do best: Putting on a great whisky event.
Entering the venue, one was greeted immediately by a musical duo playing an intriguing & entertaining mix of songs on an electric guitar and a steel kettle drum! But before you could quite work out whether you were hearing ABBA or La Bamba, the inimitable James Buntin, Balvenie Ambassador, was there to offer you a dram or a cocktail. The cocktails – creations of the talented Dick Blanchard – were stylish, attractive, and…it must be said…dangerously more-ish. But when you walk in the door and you’re handed a glass of Balvenie 21yo within two minutes of arriving, you know you’re at a good event. The Doublewood 12yo & 17yo expressions were also on hand to try, making for a wonderful spectrum of Balvenie goodness.