Women in Whisky, GlenDronach Tasting with Dr Rachel Barrie, inc GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 12 [Tasted #651]

In the world of whisky, few names resonate as powerfully as that of Dr. Rachel Barrie. With a career spanning over 28 years, she has left an indelible mark on the industry. Trained as a bio-chemist, Dr. Rachel Barrie began her journey under the mentorship of the legendary whisky figure, Dr. Jim Swan.

Before joining Brown Forman in 2017 as a master blender, she honed her skills at renowned distilleries such as Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, and Bowmore. At Brown Forman, she has been instrumental in crafting the unique identities of The GlenDronach, Benriach, and Glenglassaugh’s Single Malt Scotch whiskies.

One of her most significant contributions to date is the relaunch of Benriach’s entire core range as well as the recent Glenglassaugh Coastal series which we had reviewed earlier this year. This ambitious project is widely regarded as a testament to her vision and authority as a master blender.

Dr. Rachel Barrie’s influence extends beyond blending exceptional whiskies. She has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of each distillery through bespoke, considered maturation in quality oak casks. Her efforts have helped attract a more diverse audience to the world of whisky than ever before.

Often referred to as Scotch Whisky’s First Lady, Dr. Rachel Barrie’s contributions have not gone unnoticed. She is a proud member of Whisky Magazine’s illustrious Hall of Fame, a fitting recognition for a woman who continues to inspire many in the industry.

So when I found out she was making her way to Australia, I was excited. As often happens with Master Blenders, they get whizzed around the country to host a number of events and dinners while they are in town. Time for Whisky was extended the opportunity (thanks to Brown Forman and We Are Different PR) to join the Women in Whisky event with Dr. Rachel Barrie and given her superb contributions over the years, I knew this was a special panel.

The event featured a panel, hosted by Carmen Hartwich, Queensland-based Brand Ambassador for Brown Forman and featured Dr Rachel Barrie, Kathleen Davies, of Nip of Courage and Emily Cason, co-founder and director of The Whisky Club.  

Kathleen, as most would know, has over 30 years of experience in the industry, having founded Nip of Courage, Aussie Tipple Company and more importantly Women of Australian Distilling. Emily Cason, one of the co-founders of The Whisky Club has a background in the global drinks trade and publishing and has successfully founded The Whisky Club which has now grown far and wide to serve distinct whisky releases to the masses.

The panel discussion noted the progress and the importance of fostering diversity and inclusion within the whisky industry. A noteworthy trend is the increasing participation and leadership of women across various roles. Emily added that there has also been an ongoing evolution of the drinking culture, especially among younger generations, who are now exploring and developing an enhanced appreciation for quality whisky. Emily explained that over 65% of The Whisky Club's membership base consists of individuals under the age of 35. Furthermore, data underscores a distinct shift toward quality over quantity, with younger members willingly investing in premium, higher-quality whiskies.

The profound influence of female leaders like Dr. Rachel Barrie, Kathleen, Emily and Carmen cannot be understated. Their pioneering contributions have not only left an indelible mark on the industry but have also served as a wellspring of inspiration, nurturing the next generation of female whiskey lovers and enthusiasts. This past decade has witnessed a transformation in the whisky landscape, making it more accessible and enjoyable. This paradigm shift has effectively shattered stereotypes, rendering the industry more inclusive and inviting to individuals of diverse backgrounds, regardless of gender.

A number of highlights from the panel discussion:

Over my 30 years in the industry, it is encouraging to see the growth of diversity and inclusion in the whisky industry for women particularly. In 2021, we recruited Kirsten Ainslie into the role of assistant blender, so it’s been fantastic working and mentoring her, seeing the long term commitment to investing into and growing our single malts. 

- Dr Rachel Barrie, Master Blender at The GlenDronach, Glenglassaugh and Benriach 

“It's truly wonderful to witness the passion and enthusiasm that's drawing more people into the whisky category. The modern whisky drinker can’t be stereotyped by gender, affluence or age. What brings us all together is our shared passion for whisky, which transcends any basic demographic data or industry cliches.” 

- Emily Cason, The Whisky Club 

“My mission, as well as the mission of the board and our team, is to encourage these women to step forward, apply for positions they may not feel they are qualified for, and give them opportunities like speaking at events, which they often aren't invited to participate in. When I first started my career, I was one of 13 females amongst a pool of 500 men, and even though it was tough, I kept going and pushing forward. We are committed to encouraging these women to take the leap, improve themselves, and serve as a supportive cheerleading squad for them.” 

- Kathleen Davies, Women of Australian Distilling 

“It's about having a passion, curiosity, and the courage to put yourself forward. It's about continuously learning something new every day and just going for it. My approach is to ‘nurture the best nature’ of each distillery, fully understanding how each environment influences them. I’m always looking to raise the bar, raise expectations. 

- Dr Rachel Barrie, Master Blender at The GlenDronach, Glenglassaugh and Benriach

Following the panel discussion, Dr Rachel Barrie then hosted a tasting of three Glendronachs;

• GlenDronach 18yo, also known as Allardice; named after the renowned founder of the distillery, James Allardice.
• GlenDronach 21yo, aka the Parliament, aptly named after the 'parliament (colony)' of rooks that have been nesting in the trees that overlook the GlenDronach distillery for almost 200 years; and
• GlenDronach 28yo 1994 single cask #1769

As a GlenDronach fan, the tasting was phenomenal as expected and it was great to have also gone through the tasting with Dr. Rachel Barrie, indulging in the very fine thing that she has spent day and night creating. To cap off the night, we were all given a mystery dram which was later revealed to be the 2023 GlenDronach Grandeur (Batch 12) Personally, I have never tasted the Grandeur prior so I knew this was special.

The GlenDronach Grandeur is a limited edition release and was originally released as a special edition whisky in association with the Kingsman movie franchise. The original release was known as The GlenDronach Kingsman Edition 1989 Vintage and was created in collaboration with Matthew Vaughn, the director of the Kingsman film franchise. The original release was produced from a selection of six casks distilled in 1989, matured in Oloroso sherry casks and finished in PX casks. There was also a subsequent release, the GlenDronach Kingsman Edition 1991, a 25yo.

The 2023 edition of the GlenDronach Grandeur, also known as Batch 12, is a 29yo, matured for almost 30 years in Oloroso casks and bottled at 49.2% ABV. 

GlenDronach Grandeur 29yo Batch 12 (49.2% ABV, Highland, Scotland, A$TBC)

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A rich and opulent GlenDronach that has all the typical hallmarks of full-bodied sherried GlenDronach mixed with velvety elegance. As Dr Rachel Barrie described, the Grandeur series is rather “rich, indulgent, exuberant and full-bodied sherry cask style”. 

Nose: Velvety, the nose is filled with sticky date pudding with remnants of dates, creme brulee, rich custard, and a hint of vanilla slice. The nose is rich, sweet and opulent.

Palate: The palate is rather interesting, while there is the sweetness that follows from the nose, the initial palate is salty, salted caramel, espresso mixed with milk chocolate. It is a bit dry on the mouth but has a mixture of raisins and white pepper.

Finish: The finish is long, drying, and leaves nutty and mild spices on the palate

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100 (Hendy)

Thanks to Dr Rachel Barrie, Brown Forman and We Are Different PR for having us at the Women in Whisky special event. 

Cheers,
Hendy

Cask Trade - A cask company with several points of difference

Please note - this article in no way constitutes or should be taken as financial advice. It simply contains my personal views on cask ownership (whether for the purposes of bottling or otherwise), and shares some information from Cask Trade. As always, do your own research and come to your own conclusions!

Last month I finally got around to writing up my long-held views on cask ownership, and it's fair to say the article generated a lot of attention - quickly becoming one of the most viewed articles in recent months, and kicking off weeks of discussion on Instagram and (interestingly) my personal Facebook. Seems there were even more people than I thought out there getting bombarded by cask ownership ads on social media, keen to separate fact from fiction.

In that article, I mentioned I'd be doing a few sponsored posts with a cask company, and I'm happy to announce that company is Cask Trade. In this article, I'll outline their approach, how I think it differs to others, and why I'm working with them.

First, some background. I first came to know Cask Trade back in early 2021, but I've known Colin Hampden White (Keeper of the Quaich, Chairman of the Circle of Wine & Spirits Writers, World Whisky Awards & IWSC Judge and Amazon Prime Star) since 2015. Learning that Colin was a Cask Trade Board member (and responsible for their cask picks) gave me some comfort that this wasn't like many of the other cask companies out there - that they actually had some industry expertise behind them. I later learned that John Wong (whom I'd known for years from Hong Kong's excellent whisky shop/bottler "The Good Spirits") was involved - now heading up HK operations, and after a Zoom tasting of cask samples back in 2021 with Colin, John and CEO Simon Aron, it seemed clear to me that this was a reputable company in a sea of sharks.

Apart from the fact that the cask samples I tasted during that session were all solid, I learnt a few facts about Cask Trade which also (to me) helped set them apart from many of the others. Specifically:

Cask Trade owns the stock they sell. This is a big one - Cask Trade is not a broker. Any cask sold by Cask Trade is, according to the company, 100% owned by them (and as above, with a good chance of being selected by Colin). Management, sampling, updates, cask regauge (health check) etc... are all handled / overseen by Cask Trade, which they can do easily, and as owners of the casks prior to sale, they're able to actually perform quality checks on the casks they're selling, and typically arrange a sample prior to sale too.

They're open about different options ("exit strategies") - including bottling: Many of the shadier companies make grandiose claims about financial returns and easy availability of buyers, without a lot of detail to back them up. Cask Trade offer clear steps and services for what to do when it's time to move on, including bottling the cask, selling it back to Cask Trade, selling it privately, and even auctioning it on their sister site AuctionYourCask.com, which gives you some real-world ideas of what the current values of casks (over £400,000 of casks are said to have been sold via the site).

 

They're based in the UK, and have a physical presence in Hong Kong. If you're a Hong Kong customer, you can actually speak to the team here in Hong Kong - and be assured you're receiving the same pricing as a customer in the UK (or anywhere else).

Their buy-back service seems to offer fair and realistic prices. One of the concerns I raised in my article was spurious / questionable claims of significant financial returns on casks from less sought-after distilleries. Cask Trade shared with me some of the returns their customers have received when using their "Buy Back" service, and whilst I won't re-publish them here, to me they seemed believable - e.g. I'm not surprised that someone who bought a well-aged Clynelish cask in 2019 and sold it in 2022 made a solid % return, whilst someone who bought a Teaninich cask and kept it around the same time made a less significant (but still very respectable) return. 

In the course of my regular whisky discussions (and especially since writing last month's article on cask ownership), I've come across Cask Trade customers and potential customers, and they've all had good things to say regarding their interaction. Part of that is likely because Cask Trade caters to all types of customers - even beginners, and their team offers advice which reflects actual knowledge of the whisky industry, and an understanding that different distilleries/cask types/ages yield different results.

Cask Trade don't publish a complete stock list on their website (which is understandable, given how quickly it would change), but according to their site they do "have the largest most varied cask whisky stocklist in the world [with].....over 500 casks featuring Scotch whisky from over 90 distilleries across Scotland, as well as Irish whiskey, New World whisky and rum, plus other spirits like Cognac and Armagnac." From viewing stock lists previously, I'd say that stacks up, with everything from younger (even new fill) casks from lesser-known distilleries, to well-matured casks from some of Scotland's most sought-after distilleries.

It should go without saying that when getting involved in any kind of cask purchase, it's critical to do your own research and make your own decisions - and to not take any of the above as financial advice. This is simply my experience with Cask Trade as a company, and the people (two of whom I knew well before their involvement) behind it.

Cheers,

Martin.

PS: Whilst I'm not currently a Cask Trade customer, I'm not a customer of any Cask company at the moment. The only casks I own / have owned are directly from distilleries, aged at those distilleries.

This week in whisk(e)y #35 - The Last Drop Distillers acquired by Sazerac, Experimental Scotch blends from Johnnie Walker, Drambuie relaunch, Dan Murphy returns to Prahran home, Diageo partners with top HK bars

As you might know if you read this blog regularly, we get a fair few interesting press releases and news articles here at TimeforWhisky, and usually try to feature them with our own spin, experiences or comments. Sometimes though, they come thick and fast, and we just don't have time to do them all justice.

So we've decided to take a leaf out of some other excellent whisky blogs, and feature a "PR roundup" every now and then - basically a wrap-up of relevant press releases we've received in the previous week or so (including other interesting whisk(e)y news Steph, Hendy & or I think you might enjoy). So on with it then...


The Sazerac Company acquires The Last Drop Distillers
Considering their scarcity, we've tasted more than our fair share of whiskies from The Last Drop Distillers over the past few years. Whilst each one has been a treat (who's going to say no to a 48-50 year old whisky?), the real treat comes from just how fantastic each whisky has been. The Last Drop Distillers are not a company who bottle whatever they can get their hands on - they make sure they only bottle whiskies of extremely high quality (not easy when your releases are in the 48-50yo range).

We've met Rebecca and Beanie before, and we've seen first hand how passionate they are about the business, which tells us that for them to sell up, it would only be to a company they truly mesh with - a good corporate fit.

Which is what it seems they've found in Sazerac...

"The world’s most exclusive spirits brand, The Last Drop Distillers Limited, is today announcing its acquisition by Sazerac – one of the world’s top selling global spirits brands, and one of New Orleans’ oldest family-owned, privately-held companies. 
The investment that will be injected into the craft spirits brand through the acquisition will accelerate its ambitious growth plans whilst also allowing the existing Last Drop Distillers team to continue to run the business autonomously, with the small, personal operation remaining intact. The Sazerac Company portfolio includes a range of global spirits brands: this acquisition will allow the company to extend its portfolio into the super-premium, craft market as well as expand its European footprint. The Last Drop Distillers is a family-run company dedicated to discovering and bottling some of the most exclusive spirits in the world. Spirits pioneers James Espey and Tom Jago founded the company in 2008 after long and successful careers in the industry. Between them they created some of the world’s best-loved spirits brands, including Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Chivas Regal 18 Year Old, The Classic Malts, and, with Malibu and Baileys Irish Cream, two of the most original and successful new drinks categories in the world. Today, the company is run by their two daughters, Beanie Espey and Rebecca Jago.

Mark Brown, president and CEO of The Sazerac Company said: “We are very excited to be partnering with such industry legends as Tom and James.  Equally, we are looking forward to working alongside their daughters Rebecca and Beanie as well as the rest of The Last Drop Distillers team in bringing some of the rarest spirits available to the global consumer market.  As a family owned company we fully appreciate the value of a small, engaged and passionate team in a venture such as The Last Drop Distillers and look forward to continuing the excellent progress the business has made since its inception.” James Espey, Co-Founder and Chairman of The Last Drop Distillers said: “This acquisition marks the next stage of The Last Drop Distillers story that will see us take the brand into the next phase, while retaining and building on our core values of exclusivity, craft and excellence. The existing team of passionate and experienced spirits pioneers will continue to steer the direction of the brand, while the investment allows us to grow our international footprint and broaden our opportunities to search for the rarest spirits in the world.”

We wish TLD all the best under Sazerac, and we look forward to seeing many more releases to come (like their recent "100 Years of The Last Drop", which sees a miniature of their 50yo Double Matured and 50yo Blended Scotch Whisky packaged in a leather case with a pewter quaich - available through global stockists).

Introducing "Blender's Batch": A series of limited-edition, experimental Scotch blends from Johnnie Walker
It wasn't that long ago that we heard about the Johnnie Walker Rye Cask Finish (see TWIW #34) being available in Australia. Now a series of limited edition experimental Scotch blends, dubbed the Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch, are being released around the world.

The Blenders' Batch series will showcase different experimental Scotch blends with the first experimental release from the series being the Red Rye Finish; a blend bottled at 40% ABV which exclusively uses malt and grain whiskies from first fill ex-bourbon casks - a blend that is then finished for around six months in ex-rye whiskey casks.

Quoting the press release:

"Johnnie Walker®, the world’s No. 1 blended Scotch Whisky[1], is releasing a range of limited edition, experimental whiskies: Johnnie Walker® Blenders’ Batch.  

The Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch range lifts the lid on the skill and never-ending pursuit of flavour that drives the blending team, led by master blender Dr Jim Beveridge, a man whose personal journey making whisky began over 40 years ago.  

The ongoing flavour experiments that Beveridge and his team study are a crucial part of their work, focussing on developing and understanding alternative flavours including wine, coffee and chocolate.  

Jim Beveridge said: “At any one time, there are hundreds of experiments into flavour being carried out by our blenders which involve making adjustments to atmospheric conditions, the types of wood and grain used, cask finishes and other elements of whisky-making in the pursuit of exceptional new flavours.”  

The first release in the series, Johnnie Walker® Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish, is the result of experiments into the influence of bourbon and rye whiskey flavours on Scotch, inspired by the time Dr Beveridge spent blending bourbons and ryes in Kentucky in the 1990s.  

Jim Beveridge said: “For the first release, we wanted to focus on what happens when the intensely sweet flavours that can be found in bourbon and rye whiskies are brought together with the depth and subtlety of carefully crafted Scotch”.  

Available in limited quantities from September 2016 Johnnie Walker® Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish includes whisky from now-closed Port Dundas and has been created using an incredibly small number of malt and grain whiskies, exclusively drawn from first fill ex-bourbon casks. Following this, the whisky is finished up to six months in ex-rye casks for a perfect balance of intense sweetness, layered fresh fruit and spice. 

The Johnnie Walker® Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish will be available in the Australian on-trade from 15 September and off trade specialist stores from early October. The release of other whiskies in the series will be announced in the coming months."

We look forward to trying this soon, and will have our tasting notes up in October.


Drambuie celebrates relaunch
Drambuie, an elixir that's part of the William Grant & Sons portfolio is making a comeback with an official relaunch of the brand (last week in Sydney), and revival of the famous Rusty Nail serve. Unfortunately, we were not able to join in on the celebrations, though the night appeared to be a success, complete with fantastic cocktails and live jazz to 'jazz' up the iconic brand.

To continue the celebration, a Drambuie-themed evening will be hosted every Thursday for 3 months at The Swinging Cat (44 King St, Sydney NSW) where everyone can join in to sample The Rusty Nail, along with a range of new Drambuie cocktails.

Here's the official press release, including the recipe for the famous 'Rusty Nail' serve.

"Drambuie, the infamous Scotch Whisky Liqueur, has announced an official relaunch of the brand including the introduction of a 3-month bar activation, ‘A Night with the Nail’, hosted each Thursday at The Swinging Cat located on King Street in Sydney’s CBD.
Launching on September 8, the activation will involve a recurring ‘Drambuie-themed’ evening to promote the revival of its most famous serve, The Rusty Nail, along with a range of new Drambuie cocktails. Bar-goers will be treated to an exclusive Drambuie experience and live jazz music as they enjoy the flavour and energy of the New Orleans inspired underground bar that is The Swinging Cat. 

The Rusty Nail is a timeless whisky cocktail born in the infamous New York nightclubs of the early 60s and served at the renowned ‘21 Club’ frequented by Hemmingway, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and JFK 12. At a time when the legendary carousing of the Rat Pack came to prominence, the Rusty Nail was adopted by the scene, confirming the drink's iconic status and establishing its place in pop culture history. 

More recently, the cocktail was the drink of choice of Saul Goodman and featured in the very first episode of Netflix’s TV series Better Call Saul. 

With one part Drambuie, two parts Scotch Whisky and a lemon twist over ice, it’s a simple yet rewarding cocktail that sits alongside the Martini, Negroni and Old Fashioned as one of the classics of the cocktail world. Oozing timeless cool, each sip conjures up the image of those smoky lounges, iconic characters and the free-living optimism of the 1960s. 

Bar-goers will also be in the running to win a Rusty Nail Kit including a bottle of Drambuie, a bottle of Monkey Shoulder Scotch Whisky, a mixing spoon, ice mould and tumblers, by uploading a social pic of themselves enjoying a Rusty Nail with the hashtag #nightwiththenail. 

RUSTY NAIL™

• 1 part Drambuie 
• 2 parts Monkey Shoulder Scotch Whisky 
• Build over ice in a rocks glass and stir.
• Garnish with a lemon twist  

For more information visit: http://www.drambuie.com or http://www.williamgrant.com"

Dan Murphy’s returns to its spiritual home at 282 Chapel St, Prahran
Whilst this blog's focus is on whisky and whiskey, occasionally we also feature other related news from the industry, such as the news of the new Dan Murphy's original cellar in Prahran, Victoria. 

The cellar will house rare and superb wines and spirits -- including some old and rare whiskies; Pappy Van Winkles, Old Rip Van Winkles, Glenfarclas 60yo, Macallan M (tasted by Martin recently - notes up soon), Port Ellen 32yo and 35yo and the highly coveted Gordon & Macphail Mortlach 75yo bottling which we saw being sold through a Dragon 8 Auction in HK in February.

Some interesting stats have also been released to preview the extent and diversity of the cellar collection, with a mention of the 2015 Yamazaki Single Malt (we assume they're referring to the 2015 Limited Edition):

The press release is as follows:

"Australia’s leading drinks retailer is returning to its roots with the opening of Dan Murphy’s Cellar right where it all began in the 1950s in the iconic Prahran Arcade at 282 Chapel Street.

Originally built in 1890, it was here that Daniel Francis Murphy realised his dream of running his own wine and liquor store. Dan Murphy leased the building from the 1950s through to the 1980s and on 1 September 2016, the basement of the historic site will re-open once again as Dan Murphy’s Cellar.

True to Dan’s vision, the Cellar will be a destination retail experience housing the finest wines and spirits sourced from all over the world. 

The journey through Dan Murphy’s Cellar will be revelatory – like walking through one of the world’s best wine and whisky libraries.

At first glance customers will spot a rare 1959 Dom Perignon Oenothèque and Sullivans Cove Double Cask Whisky. To the left they’ll spot a collection of Para Liqueur Port dating back to 1885, and to the right a Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac.  Down at basement level a full set of Penfolds Grange is there to discover, as well as rare vintages such as the 1971 Penfolds Bin 333 and a 1983 Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Cellar is a beautiful and breathtaking space. The heritage listed building retains many of its original features including exposed brick walls, masonry piers, and some of the earliest surviving examples of prismatic pavement lights that give the basement level a touch of natural light.

September’s exclusive My Dan Murphy’s member events include:

• Prestige Champagne: The fascinating world of Dom Perignon & Krug Champagnes
• Louis Roederer Champagne Event
• Meet the Maker': David Vitale from Starward Whisky 
• 'Journey of Chandon' with winemaker Dan Buckle

For more information on Dan Murphy’s Cellar visit: http://www.danmurphyscellar.com.au/"

So if you are in Victoria and are passing through Prahran, drop by the Dan Murphy Cellar. Alternatively, you can also browse the selection online https://www.danmurphys.com.au/whisky/Category-whisky/Cellar%20Range-yes


Diageo partners with top HK bars and restaurants at HK Wine & Dine Festival 2016
HK has its fair share of spirits, wine and food festivals each year, but the HK Wine & Dine Festival is always one of the better ones. Over the years we've seen more and more whisk(e)y representation at HK's "wine" festivals, and that looks set to continue this year, particularly with Diageo taking both The Singleton and Haig Club to the event in a big way, by pairing with well-known HK bars and restaurants...

"This year, The Singleton Single Malt Scotch Whisky and Haig Club Single Grain Scotch Whisky will be pairing up with top restaurants and bars over the four-day event with engaging and innovative mixology and gastronomy, inviting visitors to embark on a sensory tasting journey, including savoring the exceptional whiskies neat, paired with food and in cocktails.

A new addition to the event this year features Hong Kong inspired cocktails from emerging bartending talents of Angel’s Share, Fu Lu Shou, The Envoy and Stockton, celebrating Hong Kong’s most iconic and nostalgic flavours. Using The Singleton of Glen Ord 12 Year Old, The Singleton of Glen Ord 18 Year Old, Haig Club Single Grain Scotch Whisky and Zacapa 23 Rum as their base, the bartenders will represent the vibrant nightlife of the city through specially crafted cocktails, with culinary offerings from their respective kitchen teams to pair signature dishes.

Visitors can savour the creations and pairings throughout the Festival, at The Singleton booth located at Discovery Zone-E501 and E502 and Haig Club booth at Discovery Zone-E701 and E702."

Can't wait.

Until next time...

Cheers,

Martin & Hendy. 

This week in whisk(e)y #32 - The Balvenie's David Stewart tours Australia, Teeling release 2nd whiskey in "The Revival" series and Jameson & Young Henrys commence "Boilermates" partnership

As you might know if you read this blog regularly, we get a fair few interesting press releases and news articles here at TimeforWhisky, and usually try to feature them with our own spin, experiences or comments. Sometimes though, they come thick and fast, and we just don't have time to do them all justice. So we've decided to take a leaf out of some other excellent whisky blogs, and feature a "PR roundup" every now and then - basically a wrap-up of relevant press releases we've received in the previous week or so (including other interesting whisk(e)y news Steph, Hendy & or I think you might enjoy). So on with it then...

David Stewart of The Balvenie tours Australia this July
Last month we enjoyed The Balvenie's "DCS Compendium" launch in Hong Kong, in the company of the brand's global ambassador Sam Simmons. This month Sam will be in Australia, joined by The Balvenie's iconic Malt Master David Stewart, who has been with the distillery since 1962!

Long-time readers might remember our masterclass with David Stewart last year in Hong Kong, or our interview with Sam in 2013.

The DCS Compendium will be a set of 25 bottles, released in 5 "Chapters" of 5 bottles each, and accompanied by a book written by Sam Simmons. Each chapter explains the themes of that year’s collection in detail and explores the fundamental aspects in the development of David’s career – including Influence of Oak, Secrets of the Stock Model and Expecting the Unexpected.

Chapter One was released in October 2015, and comprises the following 5 whiskies: 

• 1968 Aged 46 years
• 1978 Aged 37 years
• 1985 Aged 30 Years
• 1997 Aged 17 years; and
• 2005 Aged 9 years. 

Unlike Hong Kong (which has only received one official bottle for sale, the 1978, rather than the full Chapter), the complete Chapter One is currently available in Australia through Dan Murphy’s for $57,000.

David is on a week-long tour, commencing today (Friday 15th July), which will see him conduct a series of education sessions for both trade and consumers.

Teeling Whiskey releases second "The Revival" bottling - 13yo single malt Irish whiskey finished in ex-Calvados casks
Following on from Teeling Whisky Company's' recent 15yo "The Revival" (tasted here) comes the second "Revival" bottling - this time a 13 year old single malt aged for 12 years in ex-Bourbon casks, and a further year in 250 litre ex-Calvados casks.

We've loved all the weird and wonderful maturation techniques / finishes that Teeling have been doing for a while now, so can't wait to see what sort of impact ex-Calvados casks have on their single malt.

Bottled at 46%, "The Revival Volume II" will initially be available in the UK and Europe, followed by select international markets (including Australia, but HK hasn't yet been confirmed).

Press release below:

"...The second limited edition bottling in The Revival Commemorative Series, Volume II, consists of a 13 Year Old Single Malt Irish whiskey distilled in 2002 and matured initially for 12 years in ex-Bourbon casks. It is then given a further 12 months’ maturation in 250 litre ex-Calvados French apple brandy casks imparting an extra apple and pear character unique to Irish whiskey. Further by bottling at 46% ABV with no chill filtration completes an Irish whiskey of true character.

 The expansion of the Teeling Whiskey range continues with the release of The Revival Vol II which joins their stable of award winning Irish whiskeys which have won over 75 International accolades over the last three years. The maturation provided by the Calvados cask creates a unique taste profile, reminiscent of floral baked apples and cinnamon rounded off with a toffee sweetness that’s perfectly balanced with a white pepper spiciness. The signature tart green apple and cut grass hues of this limited edition Single Malt can be enjoyed neat, with water or in a cocktail.  

Jack Teeling, Founder and Managing Director of the Teeling Whiskey Company, commented, “The one-year anniversary of our award winning distillery and visitor centre is a major milestone in the history of the Teeling Whiskey Company. We released Revival Vol I when the distillery first opened and one year on we are proud to unveil a second celebratory bottling – The Revival Vol II.

Once again we selected a very special whiskey to celebrate the revival of distilling in Dublin with the first ever Calvados cask matured Irish whiskey. Our second bottling will be limited to only 10,000 bottles and sold both through our distillery as well as our domestic and international distributors.""

Young Henrys and Jameson Irish Whiskey announce ‘Boilermates’ partnership
We love a good boilermaker here at TimeforWhisky, and also love a good Aussie craft beer. As we (obviously) love whisk(e)y, it's fair to say we're excited about this new partnership between Jameson Irish Whiskey and Young Henrys (a great microbrewery based in Newtown, Sydney), involving Jameson's "Caskmates" whiskey - an Irish whiskey finished in ex-beer casks. We tasted Caskmates last year, and far from being a gimmick, the stout finishing actually gives the beer lovely dark, coffee-like notes. In short, it works well.

From now until the 31st August 2016 participating venues across Australia will be serving Jameson Caskmates x Young Henrys boilermakers. The boilermaker, being re-branded as a ‘Boilermate’, consists of a Jameson Caskmates serve paired with a Young Henrys beer of choice. 

To find out more and for a list of participating venues go to www.younghenrys.com/boilermates

Thats all for this week. Until next time...

Cheers

Martin. 

Ardbeg Night Sydney 2016 (Tasted #298 - 299)

Inspired by the colour of the new Ardbeg release, this year's annual Ardbeg Day was flipped into a more fitting celebration - Ardbeg Night. The notion of Ardbeg Night, other than to resemble the dark impression of the new Ardbeg "Dark Cove" release, was also to symbolise the gruelling tales from the 19th century when Ardbeg's Islay homeland was used by whisky smugglers as a notorious hideout. Prior to the founding of the Ardbeg Distillery by John McDougall, illicit whisky trade took place within caves and beaches around the site, hidden away from the island's excise officer.

With the increasing popularity of Ardbeg Day over the years (last year Ardbeg Day saw over 15,000 people attend 135 events globally), this year, few lucky Ardbeggians who purchased the Ardbeg Dark Cove Committee Release between March and April 2016 were awarded with tickets to the Ardbeg Night celebrations (our friend Matt Wooler of Distant Thunder Whisky Club (DTWC) was even one of those lucky Ardbeggians). To complement the Committee Release, a regular "Dark Cove" release was also launched. The regular expression is cut at 46.5% ABV whilst its committee brethren is cut at a  higher 55% ABV. See below for tasting notes on both, and here for Martin's earlier tasting notes on the Committee Release.

The 2016 Ardbeg Night Sydney was held on 28 May 2016, coinciding with the final day of Feis Ile 2016.

As Martin covered in the last post, the inaugural Hong Kong Ardbeg Night was held the night before at a venue known as "The Warehouse." Although there was no mention of the new Ardbeg "Dark Cove" release, the night appeared to be a success. 

In Sydney, no details were provided ahead of the day, other than for us Ardbeggians to congregate at Millers Point wharf at a set time. Boarding the chartered ferry at Millers Point, none of us were told where we were headed. It wasn't until I opened Google Maps upon docking that I realised we'd all been taken to an island not far from Millers Point; Goat Island. The warehouse on Goat Island was lit with a giant Ardbeg display and the setup even gave Vivid Sydney a run for its money.

Inside the warehouse, the atmosphere was "electrical". Old lanterns were scattered across the warehouse, giving it an eerie, dark and mysterious feel. The main bar was located at the centre of the warehouse and along the warehouse perimeter were activity stations where Ardbeggians could compete in everything from quoits to tug of war. The best part, (almost) everyone won. Some of the giveaways included Ardbeg umbrellas, Ardbeg beanies and a plush Shorties. Sadly, I only walked away with a beanie.



Upon arrival, Ardbeggians were spoiled with three different Ardbeg 10yo based cocktails:

• Ardbeg Lunar Eclipse; concoction of Ardbeg 10yo, apple juice, yuzu and sugar syrup 
• Peat'v Green; Ardbeg 10yo, elderflower, fennel syrup, cucumber juice
• Fashionable Smuggler; Ardbeg 10yo, Montenegro Amaro, coconut fat wash, pineapple syrup, chocolate bitters

All three cocktails were created by The Whisky Room and made good use of the classic Ardbeg 10yo as a base. The Lunar Eclipse was certainly refreshing. The others, sadly, I didn't get my hands on them though rumour has it that the favourite amongst the crowd was the Fashionable Smuggler.

As with last year's Ardbeg Day, Andrew Derbidge of Whisky and Wisdom (and Cellarmaster of the SMWS) was the honorary guest that had been bestowed with the responsibility of unveiling the new Dark Cove.

"Dark Cove" was described by Andrew as rich, filled with dark chocolate and cured ham. The general release of the expression was the one that had been previewed on the night with the Committee Release MIA. The expression saw maturation in both ex-bourbon and ex-dark sherry barrels. The darker appearance is what gives Dark Cove its name. 

Garth, the Ardbeg Ambassador was busy pouring out refills of the Dark Cove release (from a 4.5L Jeroboam) all night long.

 

Before delving into my personal notes on the general release, I compared my committee release notes against those from Martin's (below) from the time when Dark Cove was first released to the Ardbeg Committee back in March 2016. For comparison, here are my notes:

Ardbeg "Dark Cove" Committee Release (55% ABV, NAS, Islay, Scotland, no longer available)
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The Dark Cove release, to me, is one bold Ardbeg, punching the Ardbeg smoke yet showcasing other pleasant, fresh and crisp notes. This is an Ardbeg that you can love any day of the week.

Colour: Deep, orange copper (tinge of amber)

Nose: Rich, creamy, loads of raisins. The maritime note are subtle, so is the peat. The whiff is crisp and clean like fresh winter morning. 

Palate: Creamy and rich on the palate with summer berries, toffee, chocolate (chocolate berry tart?) coming through at first, followed by the Ardbeg campfire smoke; the peat. As the palate develops, it is then balanced with sweet peanut brittles and spices closely resembling nutmeg and cloves. 

Finish: Very long and smoky, ashy with fading maritime and spice notes. This fella sticks with you for a while.

Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (not vastly different and the sherry influence does make this Dark Cove that extra bit special).

--

Martin's "Dark Cove" Notes - originally posted in March

Colour: The darkest Ardbeg ever? Darker than the current regular line-up, for sure, but not quite El Diablo territory, and not as dark as some recent SMWS bottlings. Deep amber.

Nose: Rich, creamy peat....loads of peat. Coastal peat though - more maritime and less "campfire" than you may expect. Banana lollies and an overall freshness. At a guess I'd say there's a fair amount of youngish Ardbeg in here.

Palate: Big, rich and chewy. Peaty caramels (now there's an idea)! There's definite sherry influence, with red berries and a hint of mocha, but also a younger, fresher, sweeter character - licorice allsorts, musk sticks. Loads of coastal peat throughout.

Finish: Long and coastal-smoky. Fish nets, oysters, brine. With water comes a slightly earthier smoke. A hint of tannins at the end.

Rating (on Martin's very non-scientific scale): 91/100. Another very enjoyable Ardbeg, one with a younger, stronger peat influence than some of the previous Ardbeg Day bottlings.

Ardbeg "Dark Cove" Regular Release (46.5% ABV, NAS, Islay, Scotland, A$186)

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In comparison with the Committee Release, the General Release was equally as good though it did not punch as much sherry notes into you in the same way the Committee Release did. Nevertheless, in my view, the general release is equally a very nice and bold Ardbeg. Though given the choice and my preference for cask strength whiskies, I'd choose the Committee Release.

Colour: Deep, orange copper (tinge of amber) - I couldn't see any difference

Nose: Rich, creamy, fresh crisp morning maritime air. There is toffee, peppermint and raisins (though constrained). 

Palate: Similar to the Committee Release, the palate is creamy and rich, filled with child dark chocolate (the Lindt kind), jamón and sea salt. The Ardbeg campfire smoke; the peat is there and not over powering. As the palate develops, the grassy and peppery spices become more prominent. 

Finish: Long and smoky, the finish is dry (almost like dry wood chip smoke) and leaves quite a bit of tannin.

Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 92/100

With the excise men about to knock down our door, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank Ardbeg and the folks at EVH PR for their hospitality. Another year, another success. The Ardbeg Night theme was different, eccentric, yet brilliantly thought out. Most importantly the night brought all Australian Ardbeggians together to celebrate this ecciting new release.

Until the next Ardbeg pour, Happy Ardbeg Day Night 2016!

Cheers

Hendy

Tomatin Tasting with Brand Ambassador Graham Nicolson (Tasted #269 -274)

TimeforWhisky.com was recently fortunate enough to be invited to a tasting of the Tomatin range by Hong Kong distributors T'z Limited. The occasion? Global Brand Ambassador Graham Nicolson was in town (also, it was Friday, and who needs an excuse to drink good whisky on a Friday!?)

Tomatin was one of those distilleries we'd tried here and there, usually at various whisky festivals, but never actually sat down and taken the time to really taste one (let alone six) of their releases.

Arriving at the heritage Whisky@Stables bar at Hullet House (on a significantly less muggy day than last time!) we chatted with Graham, who we learned was on a mammoth trip taking in HK and Japan (with barely a single day between tastings) and local Tomatin representative / good mate Eddie Nara.

After taking our seats (an almost-too comfortable leather armchair from which we'd happily sip whisky all night) Graham kicked things off with an introduction to the distillery, and its "light, soft, fruity" character. Gaelic for "Hill of the Juniper bush", Graham explained that Tomatin's name is a reference to the illicit distillers who plied their trade before the distillery became legitimate in 1897. Not because they distilled Gin, but because juniper bush doesn't give off smoke, so using it as a source of heat/flame made it easier to hide their operations. Crafty...

From its earlier days as a popular malt for blenders, to 1984 when the distillery went out of business, to today where we see Tomatin as a popular Highland single malt (particularly in Asia), Graham took us on a brief journey of the distillery (injecting plenty of humour along the way) before we delved into the six drams in front of us.

Tomatin Legacy (43% ABV, NAS, Highlands, Scotland, $460HKD / £21.53)
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An interesting NAS made up of 85% ex-Bourbon barrels and 15% virgin oak.
Colour: Light gold.
Nose: Banana bread, lemon sorbet, sweet vanilla.
Palate: Zingy and citrusy. Some custard. Very sweet. Lemon sherbert and some whole limes.
Finish: Short to medium length, lots of citrus - key lime pie.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100. 


Tomatin 12 Year Old (43% ABV, 12yo, Highlands, Scotland, $580HKD / $54.99AUD / £27.36)
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Finished in 1st fill Oloroso casks.
Colour: Gold.

Nose: Blackberries and a slight nuttiness.
Palate: Light overall, but more mouthfeel than the NAS. Some more nuts, orange, spice. 
Finish: Medium length, with some residual sherry notes - Brazil nuts and sherry-soaked Christmas pudding.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. Easy drinking and quite "sessionable". ABV feels spot on for the style of whisky (light and approachable).


Tomatin 14 Year Old Port Wood Finish (46% ABV, 14yo, Highlands, Scotland, $780HKD / $120AUD / £44.44)
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Colour: Pinkish copper.

Nose: Rich red berries (strawberries, raspberries mostly), cherries and burnt/caramelised sugar.
Palate: Initially a little thin, but then come some rich notes of toffee, caramel, cranberries, tangerine and strawberry. Fruity, but in a different way to the Legacy.
Finish: Medium to long in length. Butterscotch, toffee and a slight hint of smoke.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. 


Tomatin 18 Year Old (46% ABV, 18yo, Highlands, Scotland, $1,380HKD / $199AUD / £62.34)
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Finished in European Oak Oloroso Sherry butts

Colour: Copper-orange.
Nose: Flinty, whole oranges. Clearly Sherried.
Palate: Vibrant, hints of spice, nutmeg, whole oranges again, and then even more spice. Plenty of citrus though. There's a fruitiness here, but it's more mature and robust than its younger siblings.
Finish: Long and sherried, on the fruitier side.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. 

Tomatin Cù Bòcan  (46% ABV, NAS, Highlands, Scotland, $780HKD / $99.99AUD / £35.69)
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An interesting mix of virgin, ex-Oloroso and ex-Bourbon casks, peated to 15ppm, and named after the "Ghost Dog" who supposedly haunted the village. Hmmm...not sure about the story, but the whisky sounded interesting!

Colour: Golden sunset.
Nose: Oranges, slight peatiness, but quite floral and with clear notes of coconut.
Palate: The peat is there, but subtle, and fruity! Tropical fruits - passionfruit and whipped cream. Light, but lovely. The level of peat feels just right.
Finish: A slightly earthy smokiness with some oranges rounding it out. Medium length.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. Enjoyed this one a lot.


Tomatin 2003 single cask 11 Years Old 2003/2014 bottled for Macalabur (58.4% ABV, 11yo, Highlands, Scotland, no longer available)
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Apparently the last bottle from a single cask bottled for "MacAlabur" - which as best we can work out is a whisky club either based in the US, or Denmark.

Colour: Light gold.
Nose: Beautiful. Custard, coconut, creamy caramel. A slight earthiness. Passionfruit. Overall quite tropical! A few drops of water adds some nice floral notes.
Palate: Big sweet bourbon spice. BBQ sauce. Meaty! Water amps everything up, and adds even more sweetness. 
Finish: Short to medium in length. Spicy, cream, sweet vanilla. Some residual smoke towards the end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. 

After six drams - all very different but all with a common "light, soft, fruity" theme - it was fair to say Tomatin was no longer an "unknown", but rather a distillery from which we'd happily seek our further expression to try.

Cheers,

Martin.

TimeforWhisky.com would like to thank Graham and T'z Limited Hong Kong for the invitation.