The Glenlivet "The Guardians' Chapter" tasting and launch at Tetsuya's

When it comes tastings and product launches, it seems Pernod Ricard don't do things by halves...

A month or so ago I received an invite for The Glenlivet "The Guardian's Chapter", an event to be held at Tetsuya's in Sydney (once considered one of the World's Top 50 Restaurants, and still very much one of the best restaurants in Sydney). You don't say no to an invite like that...

The event was held this past Tuesday, and Steph and I showed up (arriving by Über, which Pernod Ricard had kindly supplied) not entirely knowing what to expect. Some canapés and a tasting perhaps? We did know that we were there to taste (and vote on) three new expressions, only one of which would become the next global limited release of The Glenlivet. We also discovered that this was the first public release of these expressions anywhere in the world!

Stepping into Tetsuya's private upstairs dining room, it was clear this was going to be a special, intimate sit-down dinner, with a chance to try not only the new expressions, but the core Glenlivet range with a menu designed by Tetsuya Wakuda himself, matched to the whiskies with the expert advice of The Glenlivet's Australian Brand Ambassador Laura Hay. And on the topic of not doing things by halves, this wasn't just any dinner menu, but a 9 course degustation.

The Glenlivet Ginza was served on arrival, as guests mingled and we got to meet some of the friendly and passionate Pernod Ricard staff. After seats were taken, Laura and Tetsuya introduced the menu, explaining the process behind selecting the courses and matching The Glenlivet expressions. Steph and I had great company at our table, including Andrew and Laura from Pernod Ricard, and Simon Leong of Simon Food Favourites. Laura's stories of growing up in an around The Glenlivet distillery kept us well entertained throughout the night.

The next 3 or so hours involved working our way through the first 6 courses and matched whiskies, which included:

The Glenlivet 12 year old

Salad of the Sea

Notes: A match which brought out some real ginger and spice notes. 

The Glenlivet really added to the flavour of some of the Sashimi, especially the Kingfish.

The Glenlivet 18 year old

Foie Gras with Dried Fruits

Notes: I'm not usually a big fan of Foie Gras but this was fantastic. 

The dry fruits were completely amplified by the whisky - a great match.

The Glenlivet 15 year old French Oak Reserve

Ostrich with Dwarf Truffled Peach

Notes: Probably my favourite dish of the night. 

The Glenlivet & Truffles are clearly a perfect match. Strong sesame notes.

The Glenlivet 12 year old

Marinated Tasmanian Salmon with Miso, Orange, Garlic & Ginger

Notes: The best match of the night.

Interestingly, I got slight smoky notes, which complemented the sweet miso flavour brilliantly.

The Glenlivet 15 year old French Oak Reserve

Loin of Venison with Beetroot & Pomegranate

Notes: Again a match that brought out some real spicy notes.

The Glenlivet seemed to cut through the fruitiness of the pomegranate somewhat and the venison really lengthened the finish of the whisky.

The Glenlivet 18 year old

Cape Grim Beef Short Rib with Apple Eggplant & Fresh Green Peppercorns

Notes: I'm not usually a fan of peppercorns but they were muted here. 

Overall the dish matched the whisky quite well I thought.

At this point we could hardly believe 3 hours had already passed, but it had, and it was time to taste the whiskies we all came to taste. Tasting mats and whiskies were set up and voting cards handed out. Laura Hay got up to present the whiskies, and explained a bit more about concept, which involves three new expressions from The Glenlivet, selected by Master Distiller Alan Winchester and classified according to taste:

Revival - A regard and passion for past styles, reinterpreted with a contemporary twist.

Classic - The quality of timelessness and enduring excellence
Exotic - The quality of rich diversity and enigmatic depth

We learned the malts are being taken on a global tour, with votes to be tallied from a number of regions. The winning expression will be released as "The Guardians' Chapter", a non-chill filtered, NAS limited edition of only 2000 cases (globally), to be released in March 2014 (see the bottom of this article for details on how to get involved in a tasting session).

After being told this would be "the most important vote we make this week" (slightly tongue-in-cheek, given we have a Federal Election this Saturday), we put our voting caps on and got down to business. 

Revival (ex American and Sherry oak barrels, 48.5% ABV) - Light in colour, with a youthful and apricot nose. No youth on the palate though, with smooth, fruity and slightly sweet notes coming through. The finish is lengthy, with a real tropical fruit finish, and some almonds. A dash of water increased the tropical fruit notes on both the palate and finish. 91/100.

Classic (ex American and Sherry oak barrels, 48.5% ABV) - Darker than the Revival, and with much more complexity on the nose. Spice and Christmas Cake notes dominated the palate, with a hint of pineapple. I found a shorter finish on this one, even with a dash of water (which accentuated the palate). As the name suggests, this was the closest to the standard core range. 92/100.

Exotic (ex American and Sherry oak barrels, 48.5% ABV) - The darkest of the three (so fair to say it also has the most sherry cask influence). Incredible nose, with sweet dessert-like notes, but complex nutty and dried fruit notes too. Sherry notes on the palate, with shortbread, spongecake and vanilla macarons. A light, but complex and lengthy finishes rounds out what is an excellent whisky. The clear winner in my books. 93/100.


It seems I wasn't alone in my voting, as the Exotic won out (with 14 votes), from the Revival (12 votes) and Classic (13 votes). A close call, and it will be interesting to see how the rest of Australia (and the world) votes.


It was then time to finish the menu, with:

Lychee Granita with Strawberries & Coconut

The Glenlivet 18 year old

Chocolate Cake

My second favourite match of the night.
The whisky added complexity to an already very complex, rich and nutty dessert. Heaven.

Petit Fors

By this stage it was past midnight, but most attendees were able to stick around for a tasting of the 25 year old The Glenlivet XXV (the sacrifices we make right?) - or for those waiting for our Über rides, perhaps two (tasting notes to follow).

Overall an incredible night - one which would have required a lot of planning and passion to set up. A huge thanks to the Pernod Ricard Australia and Cav Con teams for the invite, and for the take-home gifts (The Glenlivet 18, Riedel whisky tumblers) which were icing on an already amazing cake.

Cheers,

Martin.

For anyone wanting to try these whiskies, Australian tastings will be run in conjunction with Vintage Cellars, and are being held on the following dates:

• 20th and 21st September - Sir Stamford Hotel, Sydney
• 22nd and 23rd September - The Woolshed, Melbourne
• 25th September - Port Office Hotel, Brisbane
• 26th September - Sosta Argentinian Kitchen, Adelaide
• 27th September- Grosvenor Hotel, Perth
• 1st October- Char Restaurant, Darwin 

The iconic Tetsuya's in Sydney's CBD

Tasted #36: Balvenie TUN 1401 Batch 5 (#101drams)

It's been about two weeks since my last post, but the good news is I've tasted some pretty fantastic whiskies in that time, and have some even more fantastic events coming up, so September should be a month of interesting posts.

To kick start the month - a #101drams whisky I've been eagerly awaiting - Balvenie TUN 1401. For those unfamiliar with the TUN 1401, the story goes: David Stewart (Balvenie's Malt Master) selects a number of exceptional (often very old) casks, marries them together in TUN 1401 for a certain timeframe (3 months in the case of this Batch 5), bottles them at cask strength, and the result is a fantastic whisky.

$250-$300AUD (give or take) may seem like a lot for a NAS (No Age Statement) whisky, but given the excellent reviews each and every TUN 1401 has received, and the age range of the casks (oldest: 46 years, youngest: 21 years), I was pretty confident it would be a great dram. Also, given I tried this at the excellent Whisky + Alement in Melbourne, my "price of entry" was only $24 or so. Not much for what I was pretty sure would be one of the better #101drams whiskies!

Not every batch makes it to every region, which makes this Batch 5 interesting in that it was never officially released in Australia (I believe it was mainly released in the US). Batch 8 (the latest release) has been officially released in Australia, but in very limited quantities.

Balvenie TUN 1401 Batch 5 (NAS, 50.1%, Speyside Scotland)
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Nose: Lots going on here. I don't always pick up as many notes as some of my friends and colleagues when nosing whiskies, but on this I got fresh cream, bananas (but not in a youthful whisky way), and...flint? Hints of smoke, but definitely muted. Complex, brilliant.

Palate: Rich, big mouthfeel - reminiscent of the 15yo cask strength (one of my all-time favourite whiskies), but more subdued than 15yo. The bananas continue, with a sweet, sharp caramel flavour at the forefront. 

Finish: Long (as you'd expect given half of these whiskies are 40+ years old, and one is 46 years old!) Caramel sweetness lingers, with a small amount of smoke evident at the back of the throat.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100. Did not disappoint in the slightest. Unfortunately now, I'm going to be on a mission to taste the rest of the range...and one day I'll probably buy a bottle in a duty-free shop somewhere in a moment of weakness. This could get expensive!

Cheers,
- Martin.

Bill Samuels Jr Australian visit (& Makers Mark 46 Australian launch)

"Yummy, complex and with a long finish" - the three (paraphrased) goals for Makers Mark set when developing Makers Mark 46...but more on that later.

Makers Mark 46, the first real new whiskey from Makers Mark since 1958, is finally being launched in Australia following its 2010 release in the US. I've been a fan of Makers since discovering it at the age of 18 on a schoolies cruise (yeah yeah), and ever since trying 46 a few years ago on a US trip, I've been patiently waiting for its release in Australia. Finally that day has come.

Bill Samuels Jr (son of Founder, former President and current Chairman Emeritus of Makers Mark) is currently in Australia to celebrate the launch, and is hosting a series of events around Sydney and Melbourne. I was lucky enough to be invited to an intimate session at Luke Reddington's popular Hello Sailor with about 20 other attendees, for an introduction to Makers Mark 46 (and some of Hello Sailor's excellent Mint Juleps).

Bill briefly explained how 46 differs from the regular Makers Mark (additional months spent in the same barrel, but with seared French oak staves added), how it got its name (the cooperage that produces the staves has produced 45 different staves previously for the wine industry), and why he created it (basically as his legacy, and so that his name could never be removed from the bottle, because "it's etched right there into the glass!")

More interesting though were Bill's stories, including his time as a former engineer working on the Polaris missile (until a disastrous launch which may or may not have been Bill's fault) and his family's missed opportunity to become "truly loaded" (involving the earliest days of Coca Cola).

Bill ran a brief tasting of Makers Mark 46, evidencing how well they'd hit the three aforementioned goals. Sweet and rich on the nose, with amplified vanilla characteristics, the palate is big and bold (no doubt partially due to its 47% ABV, compared with the 40% of regular Makers in Australia) with rich toffee and spice notes. The finish is definitely a long one, with smooth, spicy notes lingering long after the last sip. It's Makers amplified, and all the better for it.

A genuinely funny and friendly guy, Bill stuck around to chat to the crowd and sign autographs. Copies of his book ("My Autobiography") were given out, along with Makers Mark ice ball moulds.

Bill is doing a few public signings whilst in Australia too. Anyone interested should get along to:

• Dan Murphy’s Alexandria (4.30pm – 5.30pm. 17th Aug)
• Costco Docklands (4.30pm – 5.30pm, 19th Aug)

A big thanks to the CCA folks for the invite.

Cheers,

 - Martin.

Tasted #35: Seagram Blender's Pride Reserve Collction (#101drams)

In my job I work closely with a team in India - really just as an extension of our local team in Australia. We talk daily, catch up socially (via e-mail / phone) and celebrate milestones and birthdays. On my birthday last year, the team sent me a Happy Birthday e-mail saying they'd pour a "Blender's Pride" for me over in India. I hadn't heard of it before (being only familiar with the excellent Amrut when it comes to Indian whisky), but shortly after when I pulled together my #101drams list, I knew it had to feature.

Luckily on a recent trip, one of my team members was kind enough to bring a bottle over - of the "Reserve Collection", which is the premium version of Blender's Pride. Distributed by Pernod Ricard in India, Seagram Blender's Pride is a blend of "imported Scotch malts" and "select Indian grain spirits". No word on which Scottish malts are included.

I was warned that I "may not like it" and "it's not as good as Amrut" (which I fully expected, ha), but regardless, I was keen to give it a go.

Seagram Blender's Pride Reserve Collection (42.8% ABV, NAS blend, India)
------------------------
Nose: Light, but with strong esthers. Very fruity - peaches, cherries. Not overly smooth.

Palate: Nothing like the nose at all. Quite smooth, and none of the fruit that the nose gave off. The grain influence is there, and it's clearly young. Shortbread, rice cakes, but overall very light on the palate. It's not bad, there's just not a whole lot going on.

Finish: Extremely short - mostly gone after a few seconds. A grain-influenced finish with hints of rice cakes at the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 80/100. Look, I didn't expect this to be a knockout, but I'll be honest and say it is better than I expected. As far as cheaper blends go (it sells for around $15AUD/bottle), it's very drinkable and I'd say would give JW Red a run for its money. Then again, Steph tried it without knowing what it was, and her only comment was "There's no pride in that!!" 

Cheers,
 - Martin.

Glen Moray whisky & cheese matching (and launch of 25 Year Old in Australia)

About 6 weeks ago I received an out of the blue (but very welcome) invite to an upcoming Glen Moray tasting at Since I Left You, a small bar in Sydney's CBD. Having only ever tasted Glen Moray in cask-strength SMWS guise (and having enjoyed it) I was keen to try some of their original bottlings. This wasn't just any tasting either - it was a whisky and cheese matched tasting, included Glen Moray's newly released in Australia 25 year old Portwood finish, and was led by distillery manager Graham Coull, who had flown out from Scotland for this event (and Whisky Live). How could I say no?

Arriving at Since I Left You was like walking into a community of bloggers (a gaggle of bloggers? Herd? Flock?) with our good friends and fellow Whisky bloggers D.T.W.C, renowned food and drink blogger Gourmantic and Sydney/Melbourne expert Carrie from Daily Addict all present (as well as a number of other food bloggers). We were greeted with a Highland Fizz cocktail on arrival (a standard but tasty mix of Glen Moray and ginger beer) and had a short while to catch up before the tasting started.

First whisky was the Glen Moray Classic (40% ABV), aged for between 5-9 years. A youthful and lively whisky, with a citrus nose, fruity floral palate and a short finish. The matched cheese was a creamy goats cheese, which drove up the citrus notes in the whisky. Overall a pleasant whisky, and certainly not bad value at its $37 price point. I gave it 87/100.

Graham then took some time to tell us a bit about the distillery (owned by French company La Martiniquaise) and his history with Glen Moray, where he's been manager for the past 8 years. Demand has been big in recent years, with an additional 2 stills soon to be installed. Interestingly, we Aussies are Glen Moray's second biggest market!

The second whisky was the Glen Moray 10yo Chardonnay Cask (40%), which was particularly interesting as it isn't just finished in Chardonnay casks (which themselves are very unique in the Scotch whisky industry), but wholly matured in Chardonnay casks. Whilst I wouldn't go so far to say I noted Chardonnay notes, I definitely noticed tropical pineapple and citrus notes, a smooth, citrusy and slightly oily palate with a slight tang, and a spicy finish. Blue cheese was the match here, which increased the spice and cut through the oily mouthfeel. For a $43 I was hugely impressed. 92/100.

Next was the Glen Moray 12yo (40%), finished in more traditional ex-Bourbon barrels and known as the Glen Moray "house style". There was more complexity on the nose than the Classic here, with stronger oak notes but also toffee. Lemon zest was the dominant characteristic on the palate with a slight nuttiness, and a medium-length finish. The matched parmesan increased the spiciness and nuttiness, and I thought introduced a little bit of cajun spice! A great match. 90/100.

Second last was the Glen Moray 16yo (40%), which showed a nutty nose, rich creamy palate (with hints of fruit) and a medium finish. The matched aged cheddar I thought overtook the whisky - not a bad match, but not spot on like the previous pairing. 91/100

Last up was the one we were all waiting for (see if you can pick it from the 5 whiskies to the right...) - the Glen Moray 25yo Portwood Finish (43%). Laid down in 1986, aged for 23yo in ex-Bourbon barrels, the spirit was then transferred into Portuguese Port barrels for the remaining years. With a dark and rich copper colour, it was clear this was going to be a complex whisky. The nose was sweet - almost with notes of a light sauternes or bortytis. The palate followed this up with a massive hit of sweetness on the tip of the tongue, followed by vanilla (that'll be the 23yo in bourbon then) and sweet madeira notes. The finish went on and on, with continuous waves of delicious sweet notes coming back. Matched with a 36 month aged gruyere, this was an incredible end to the tasting. 94/100.

The 25yo Portwood Finish is limited to 3,482 bottles and retails for $249.99AUD.

Graham (who by the way, was incredibly friendly, jovial and knowledgeable throughout the tasting) then took questions, and told us about a few interesting whiskies we might expect from Glen Moray in the coming years (including their "Peated Spirit"which is now at "legal age" of 3yo), and some more interesting wine-matured whiskies including Chenin Blanc and Burgundy finishes, which are 6-8 years old at the moment (so still have some time to go). Having tasted a few cask strength varieties at Whisky Live Sydney the following night, I really hope Glen Moray decide to release a few of these at their natural strength.

With the formal part of the tasting over, the crowd mingled over additional cocktails and drams of their favourites (for me, the 25yo and Chardonnay Cask). On our way out, everyone was given a take-home bag, including a full bottle of the Chardonnay Cask - my favourite of the night next to the 25yo!

A huge thanks to Glen Moray and DecPR who hosted the event and invited Time for Whisky as a guest.

Cheers, 

 - Martin.

Shirt Bar Scotch Club: Glenfiddich 15yo deconstructed (July 2013)

A change in direction in July for Scotch Club - and a welcome one at that. Shirt Bar, along with William Grant & Sons presented a single Whisky (Glenfiddich 15yo Solera), deconstructed into its individual parts.

Led by The Whisky Ambassador (aka James Buntin, who hosts the most entertaining tastings I've ever attended), the night involved trying a variety of "money can't buy" Glenfiddich cask finishes, then "vat strength" Solera, followed by the original bottling 15yo Solera. To make things even more interesting, we were given the opportunity to blend our own Glenfiddich 15yo, and see how close we could get to the original (in my case - not very...)

The full lineup was:

• Glenfiddich New Make (65.6% ABV): Chewy, with a big warm mouthfeel and bubblegum notes. Add some water and you get notes of sugarcane. Smooth throughout with absoutely no "burn". 80/100.
• American Oak - used (59.2%): Light colour and light on the palate. Vanilla, apricot. 90/100.
• American Oak - new (3-6 months) (58.8): This one had spent some additional time in new American oak, and was all the better for it. I have no hesitation in saying this was one of the best Glenfiddichs I've ever tried. I just wish they'd bottle it! Rich and dark in colour, with an amazing sweet nose and creamy sweet palate. Reminds me a little of the Yamazaki Bourbon Barrel, one of my favourite whiskies. Fantastic. 94/100.
• Spanish Oak - used (59.2%): Dark, spicy with an intense sherry sweetness. Huge mouthfeel with the peppery spice lingering to the end. 92/100.
• Solera vat cask strength (59.6%): I'd been lucky enough to try this one once back in 2009  (albeit slightly more "fresh" as it was direct the vat on the Glenfiddich tour). That was a great experience and whilst drinking it from a bottle wasn't quite the same, the whisky itself was just as good. James explained that the final vatting contains about 65-70% of used American oak-aged Glenfiddich, with the new American oak and Spanish oak making up the remainder. The bourbon notes were definitely there, but slightly muted. Sherry was evident on the palate, but the finish showed more bourbon influence. 91/100.
• My own blend: Sherried, and extremely dry. Spicy too - obviously too much Spanish oak in the mix!
• My own blend (attempt #2): Still dry, though with a sweeter more vanilla finish. Not a bad effort if I do say so myself. 90/100.
• Glenfiddich 15yo Solera (original bottling, 40%): The one we can all buy. To be honest, whilst it's a great whisky, after trying all the components (and my own blends) as cask-strength varieties, the OB at 40% felt a bit lacking. The same notes as the cask strength Solera vatting were there, perhaps with a bit more fruit, but it all felt a bit watered down. A great dram, but not one to drink after a night of cask strength whiskies!

James finished the night with a great trick I've seen him do once before - carefully pouring whisky into a glass of water through a tea towel. Why? Because if you do it right, you get this effect to the left!

..and on that note it was time to close out another Scotch Club (not before the usual generous and delicious cold cuts platter). We like this new direction for Scotch Club, and hope to see more like this in the future.

Cheers, 

 - Steph & Martin.

Whisky Live Sydney 2013 review (#101drams)

As mentioned earlier this week, this Friday-Saturday was Sydney's turn to host Whisky Live 2013, held at Paddington Town Hall in Sydney's East.

Whisky Live was supported by Dan Murphys (who ran part of the show's retail shop and who recently released a surprisingly good Whisky Guide - see here for our good friends at D.T.W.C's thoughts on it), where certain whiskies could be purchased on site at quite competitive prices (which, given Dan's regular pricing, made for some very nicely priced whiskies).

The show had over 100 whiskies on tasting - from regular favourites like Balvenie and Jack Daniels to not often seen whiskies like Blantons and Glengoyne, right through to Penderyn, Finlaggan and some interesting rare small-batch bourbons.

There were a few notable omissions (Ardbeg, Glenmorangie, Lark, NZ Whisky Co to name a few), but overall the range was varied and enough to fill a few hours. Specific favourites included:

• Laphroaig Càirdeas (2012)
• Glengoyne Cask Strength (which I preferred over the 21yo)
• Balvenie 15yo (I have a bottle at home but can't say no to a free dram - lovely whisky)
• Blantons Original Private Reserve (single barrel - I've seen this a hundred times at Dan's but have always glossed over it. It's very good, and as it turns out, was the brainchild of Elmer T Lee (RIP)).
• Glenlivet Nadurra; and
• Starward (the latest batch just bottled earlier this week is even more impressive than our original tasting).

As well as the above, I was able to tick off a massive 5 #101drams whiskies, namely:

• Finlaggan Old Reserve - Medicinal but not to the extent of a Laphroaig 10yo, with an ashy palate that carries right through to the finish. I still think it could be Caol Ila (91/100). I also tried the cask strength but preferred the regular.
• Penderyn Madeira cask - I wasn't a huge fan. I got some peat smoke and plenty of seawater, but also hints of youthfulness and styrene. Not terrible but not one I'd rush out and buy (82/100).
• Amrut Single Malt - Reminded me  of a light Speysider, or even a Lowland/Campbelltown whisky at first. Fruity and light, and reasonably youngish, but with a spiciness on the palate and a big spicy finish (90/100).
• Laphroaig Càirdeas (2012) - Minimal peat on nose the nose, but a big ashy hit on the palate, with less medicinal notes than expected from a 'phroaig. Fruity notes on the palate and finish too (92/100).
• Grants Ale Cask - Interesting this one. Very smooth for the price ($38AUD), and very light. Would make a good beginner's whisky. Not much in the way of complexity, but you can't expect much for $38. Some light floral notes and a short to medium finish (88/100).
 

One of the hallmarks of Whisky Live is the food provided - always hearty and filling. Whilst last year's selection was reasonably good, I thought this year stepped it up an notch, with takeaway boxes of butter chicken, beef bourguignon, ravioli, as well as pies, quiches and other assorted canapés. Nant Distilling Company also ran a cocktail bar for those who wanted a break from straight whisk(e)y. The oyster stand was another unique and enjoyable addition - with oysters being served in a splash of your choice of whisky (the Bowmore Legend was a great match)


There were plenty of familiar faces around, including brand ambassadors and sales managers for Brown Forman, Think Spirits and William Grant & Sons (and special mention should go to Glen Moray's master distiller Graham Coull, who's recent exclusive Sydney tasting we'll post up shortly). A lot of the stalls however were staffed by Dan Murphy's staff, and while most knew a reasonable amount about whisky, it was clear that a few had only just learned about the products they were offering, and couldn't really discuss any details beyond what was on the label, which was slightly disappointing.

Overall the show was enjoyable, offered a good selection of whiskies and very competitive bottle prices. The only question in my opinion is the price - with Sydney's other whisky shows being $28-$60 per ticket (albeit without the comprehensive food offerings at Whisky Live), is Whisky Live worth $95 per ticket? I guess it really depends on how much you like whisky, and if the range includes ones you're really keen to try.

Cheers,
 - Martin.

Time for Whisky attended as guests of Whisky Live.

PR #13: Whisky Live Sydney and Whisky dinner with Martine Nouet

We're lucky in Sydney - each winter we get 3 major whisky shows - The Whisky Show in July (see link for our review), The Oak Barrel's Whisky Fair in September, and nestled nicely in-between - Whisky Live, the only International show of the three.

Held in a new venue for 2013 (Paddington Town Hall), WhiskyLive returns to Sydney this Friday-Saturday (2nd and 3rd August) with over 110 whiskies on tasting. Looking through the list on the website, we're particularly looking forward to the Finlaggan (a #101drams whisky), Glen Grant Five Decades, Octomore 5.1 and Starward, not to mention a few surprise drams that we've been fortunate enough to hear about (cue nose tapping here).

Tickets are $95 and include a Glencairn crystal glass, hot food and all the samples you can (responsibly) enjoy. See the website for ticket purchases, and we may see you there on Friday!

...but if that's not enough for you...Whisky Live are also holding a dinner this Thursday 1st August, hosted by Martine Nouet - TV host, Whisky judge, contributor and former editor of "Whisky Magazine". Held at Sydney's Four Seasons hotel in conjunction with Executive Chef Jess Ong, the dinner will be a black-tie affair (who doesn't love a good excuse to don a tux?) and is a six-course degustation with six matched whiskies. No word on what the whiskies are, but given Martine's pedigree, I'm sure they'll be excellent and exquisitely matched.

Further information from Whisky Live's press release:

In Australia for the first time and considered one of the world’s five top whisky tasters, Martine has paired whisky and food for grand dinners across Europe, the UK, and the USA. She has a TV series called “Whisky Chef”, is senior contributor and whisky judge for Whisky Magazine in the UK and was Editor of its sister publication in France - where she is affectionately known as La Reine de L’Alambi (Queen of the Pot-Still). Martine has written food columns extensively for French newspapers, is author of a book on single malt whisky, Les Routes Des Malts and is a judge at the annual International Wine and Spirit competition in London. http://martinenouet.com/

In a personal pairing, Martine moved her life to the Scottish Isle of Islay and loves her home amongst eight of Scotland’s top single malt distilleries. She regularly pairs food with whisky at the Islay Whisky Festivals.

Four Seasons’ Executive Chef, Jess Ong trained initially and worked extensively in France. He has collaborated directly with Martine to deliver an extraordinary experience for both whisky and food lovers in Australia.

Tickets are available on line at http://www.whiskylive.com.au/dinners/sydneydinner.html or by telephone on (02) 83380032. Seat price, inclusive of whiskies and Ong’s six course degustation is $195 per person and are arranged in tables of ten.

Cheers,
 - Martin.

Bar review #8: The Barber Shop (Sydney)

If you've ever enjoyed a "fortifying liquid" at Palmer&Co, a single malt on the balcony of ivy Level 6, a bubble tea cocktail at Ms Gs, or shotgunned a can of Tecate at El Loco, you'll be familiar with the work of Mr Mikey Enright.

Until recently, Mikey was Merivale's Group Bar Manager, responsible for the bar/drinks side of these (and many other) Merivale venues. Mikey recently left Merviale, joined forces with Julian Train and Chris Mills, and opened The Barber Shop in the heart of Sydney CBD (in what is fast becoming known as "Small Bar Street" - York St). Tonight was their first night open to the public.

The Barber Shop takes the "business up front, party down the back" concept to a new level with the "business up front" being an actual working business, unlike say Stitch, or New York's (RIP) Milk&Honey. In this case, you guessed it, that business is a barber shop.

Whilst small, the barber side of the business seats two in luxurious and authentic barber shop chairs, surrounded by mirrors, art and other curiosities, and offers haircuts, hot towel shaves, and even a self-made gin cologne. Oh, and plenty of Proraso (which is awesome, awesome stuff).

Climb the stairs to the left though, through the sliding door (described by one of our group as equal parts 007 and Get Smart) and be greeted by Sydney's newest small bar.

The bar is a larger space with soft lighting, shaving instruments and artwork on the walls, a selection of men's magazines (no, not those men's magazines) and a central tiled bar with plenty of seating and the talented Will Oxenham manning the stick. Pull up a chair and order a smoky Bobby Burns or rye-based Razorblade Rattlesnake (with lemon and fenel-seed honey - I preferred the Bobby Burns), and settle your post-work hunger pangs with a charcuterie board or hot soup (perfect for Sydney's recent cold snap). The gents will soon have a "gin tap" installed too - which we can't wait to check out. There's even a courtyard out the back (also accessible from Clarence St, right near the entrance to Baxter Inn) with heating for these cold winter nights.

The back bar has a very well-thought out spirits selection, which we understand is still growing. The whisky list contained a well thought-out spread of regions, including Benromach, Laphroaig and Springbank, and the Bourbon/Rye list was similarly varied. Throw in a few cocktail favourites like Luxardo, bartender favourite Amaro Montenegro (if you haven't tried this on ice with a wedge of orange - do) and the impending gin tap, and all your spirit bases should be covered. Or at least the important ones.

Being in the heart of the city, The Barber Shop gives new meaning to city workers ducking out to "the barber shop" in their lunch break. There's no doubt this is going to become another incredibly popular Sydney Small Bar, and the success will be well-deserved.

The Barber Shop - 89 York St, Sydney
http://www.thisisthebarbershop.com/
Opening hours:
Barbers: Monday to Saturday, from 10am till 6pm.
Bar: Monday to Friday, from 2pm till midnight. Saturday from 4pm till midnight. Sunday closed.

Cheers,
 - Martin.

Tasted #34: Laphroaig 18yo (#101drams)

Thanks to two recent trips through Singapore's Changi airport, and two visits to the excellent Terminal 1 Duty Free store (I forget the name, but it's the one right near the "Social Tree" and the Changi Millionaire stand), I've been able to try a few fantastic whiskies that would otherwise be difficult (or expensive) to come across in Australia.

First up - Laphroaig 18 (conveniently a #101drams whisky). I'd tried the 15yo on this blog previously (and given it 90/100) so was keen to see how the 18yo stacked up.

Whisky Lovers' paradise - SIN T1 Duty Free sample cabinet

Laphroaig 18yo Original Bottling (48% ABV, 18yo, Islay, Scotland)
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Nose: As with the 15yo, fresh fruit, slightly sweet, and with peat, but muted compared to the 10 and 15yo (unsurprising given peaty whiskies have a tendency to lose their overt peatiness over time in oak).

Palate: Big medicinal hit, as has come to be synonymous with Laphroaig. Still sweet, but that peat / "iodine" comes through. Incredibly smooth. I'd love to try the 25yo and see how it continues to mellow.

Finish: Mid-length (I expected slightly longer), and whilst the peat is subdued, it's still there in spades. The medicinal notes follow through to the end, with some residual sweetness.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. I considered buying a bottle (though after the Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Red Wine Cask, Glenfiddich 125th Anniversary, Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or and others there wasn't much duty-free allowance left!) 

Cheers,

 - Martin.

Tasted #33: Ben Nevis 10yo (#101drams)

What? Another #101drams whisky? Yep, again thanks to The Auld Alliance.

Ben Nevis is on the list because back in 2009 on a tour of Scotland with my dad, we drove right past it and took a photo (probably on our way to one of the other 15 or so distilleries we visited!) and I still remember it, for a reason I'm not entirely sure. Anyway, ever since I've wanted to try a dram.

I actually got the opportunity a few weeks ago at the SMWS Sydney tasting (a 16yo SMWS release), but was keen to try the Original Bottling 10yo, as that's what I put on the #101drams list.

Ben Nevis 10yo (46% ABV, 10yo, Highlands, Scotland)
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Nose: Sherried, with as strong scent of pastries - croissants, apple strudel.

Palate: Somewhat unexpected, but - vanilla ice cream and sweet, slightly salted caramel (sounds like something Gelato Messina would offer right!?)

Finish: Medium length, sweet to the end. Slight bitterness.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. Whilst I mightn't rush out and buy it, I can see the reason for the popularity of this whisky (and that is a very cool, old-school label).

Cheers,
- Martin.

Bar review #7: The Whisky Bar, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

Our 7th bar review saw me in Malaysia, at the appropriately named "The Whisky Bar, KL". As much as I'd love to say I was in Malaysia to taste whisky...I was there on business (which is completely unrelated to whisky), and only managed to get out and visit one night by cramming about 15 hours of work into the previous night...oh well, the sacrifices we make!

I first stumbled across the bar a few years ago (it's bang in the middle of one of the liveliest parts of the city - Changkat Bukit Bintang) and remembered them having a great list, impressive display (of unopened bottles) and decent prices.

My visit this time coincided with an Auchentoshan tasting (which I'll write up in a separate post), but this post is mostly about the bar itself.

The bar feels similar to the Highlander chain of Whisky bars in Asia (especially the logo), but is apparently unrelated. It's a largeish bar, with seating broken up into a few areas (some large booths and some cosy nooks for couples), along with an adjoining restaurant with an impressive wine cellar. The decor is comfortable and classy, with appropriate lighting and noise levels to suit. The bar also has an impressive collection of whisky/whiskey posters dotted around the room, including some which would have to be a few decades old.

There's no region or whisky style that the bar specialises in, with an impressive range of Japanese, Scotch, Irish and other world whiskies. What I find particularly impressive is the number of unopened bottles around the place (presumably just for show) - including some very rare vintage Glenfiddichs, Balvenies (see right) and Nikkas.

Staff were all welcoming and more than happy to talk about whisky, and the way whisky is enjoyed in Malaysia (in a nutshell, typically with less focus on tasting and more focus on drinking!) As is common in Asia, bottle sales (for consumption on-premise) are available, with monthly specials coinciding with monthly tastings (typically for a particular distillery).

Prices aren't too bad for KL, with a Caol Ila 12yo going for around $11-12AUD/nip, and a Laphroaig 18yo around $23AUD. Or you could just go all out with a Bowmore White 1964 for a cool RM24,300 (around $8,500AUD)!

Of the three times I've visited now, I've enjoyed every visit, and (on a previous trip) Steph found the tasting flights especially handy for someone who (at the time) was just getting into whisky. There was also another work trip where a bunch of us got into a bottle of Hibiki 17yo on a Friday night...a few hours later I found myself scoffing down a few pieces of Durian, which I've sworn to never do again...

If you're ever in KL and looking for a dram or two, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better place than here. Just keep your wits about you when you walk outside - Changkat Bukit Bintang is a lot of fun, but is also one of the most busy/crazy streets in KL.

Cheers,
 - Martin.

#101drams Charitable Challenge - first $100 donation

As I promised in my #101drams challenge, for every 20 whiskies I tick off the list, I'll donate $100 to Cancer Council Australia. So having just posted about the 20th dram (Auchentoshan Valinch), it was time to make my first donation...and here it is:

Here's to the next 20!

Cheers,
 - Martin.

Tasted #32: Auchentoshan Valinch (#101drams)

Another #101drams whisky I was able to tick off the list at The Auld Alliance - the Valinch is Auchentoshan's cask-strength, non chill-filtered version of their Classic, weighing in at 57.5% ABV. I was curious to try this as I've generally found the Auchentoshan's to be very  light (as most Lowland whiskies are), so I wanted to see how a cask-strength version fared.

Not overly detailed notes for this one...but long story short - I won't be buying a bottle...

Auchentoshan Valinch (57.5% ABV, NAS, Lowland Scotland)
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Nose: Freshly cut grass.

Palate: Earthy, "gritty", spicy. Fair hint of cinnamon.

Finish: Medium length, slightly grainy, cinammon still present until the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 85/100. Not a huge fan.

Cheers,
- Martin.