BLADNOCH DISTILLERY LAUNCHES BICENTENNIAL RELEASE IN THE US MARKET

April 14, 2021 by evebushman

BLADNOCH, SCOTLAND sing – In celebration of its 200 year anniversary in 2017, one of Scotland’s oldest Whisky distilleries from the Lowlands region bottled 200 limited edition bottles making its way to the US market for the first time this Spring. Crafted from two barrels of 29 year old Bladnoch Single Malt, it is the rarest Whisky ever released by the historic distillery. Distilled in 1988, matured in Oloroso Sherry casks and finished in ex Moscatel casks, the Bicentennial edition imparts notes of sweet vanilla and ginger, with soft sherry flavours, dark chocolate, and balanced with sweet oak and a hint of ground black pepper. Each bottle is personally numbered and presented in gold plated bottles at 41.2% ABV.

Due to the recent change in regulations that allow for 700ml imports into the country, Bladnoch is now able to share the special release with the United States, one of the most important Scotch markets in the world.

On the exclusive release in the US, “We at Bladnoch are delighted to bring our rarest and oldest expression, The Bicentennial, to US shores. This incredibly exclusive Moscatel finished expression from 1988, will finally be available to the many US-based Bladnoch enthusiasts and collectors, in limited quantities this Spring. This has been made possible by the welcome changes to spirit container sizes, allowing the import of 700ml bottles into the US market,” shares owner David Prior, who acquired the distillery in 2015 and has since revived Bladnoch Distillery.

For more information, please visit: https://us.bladnoch.com/products/bladnoch-29-year-old-bicentennial-release

MSRP

$7,550

About Bladnoch Distillery

Bladnoch Distillery was established in 1817, making it the oldest working Scotch Whisky distillery in the Lowlands. As the southernmost distillery in Scotland, it is commonly referred to as the ‘Queen of the Lowlands.’ Hand crafted using only the finest local ingredients such as the pristine water from the River Bladnoch that flows alongside the distillery and Scottish barley to create a rich, flavourful whisky that is best savoured. Bladnoch Single Malts are non-chill filtered to ensure the truest flavours shine through.

This legacy brand has been revived by Master Distiller Dr. Nick Savage, formerly at The Macallan, and owner David Prior, a whisky connoisseur who is the first Australian businessman to own a Scotch Whisky distillery. Bladnoch is truly passionate about the preservation of the environment and the local community’s generational involvement in the iconic distillery.

Compass Box Whisky Tasting Line-up with Whiskymaker Jill Boyd

April 2, 2021 by evebushman

If you don’t know Compass Box scotch whisky you are really missing out. Let’s pretend that you do: Forget for a minute that they make several blends as well as single malts, forget that their creamiest (in my humble opinion) isn’t made from malted barley but from grain whisky, forget that their whisky makes a damn fine cocktail, and maybe even forget that their labels are incredibly colorful as well as informative and provide complete transparency. But even if you can forget the unforgettable of all of the above, there is no way you will be able to forget how damn fine, and very different from each other, that these whiskies are.

Hope I have served to whet your whistle! Now, moving on, this was the sold-out invitation that the members of the Southern California Whiskey Club received:

We are delighted to welcome Jill Boyd, Whiskymaker at Compass Box, for a virtual Masterclass. Since joining the team in January 2017, Jill has become a key whisky maker at Compass Box and will be joining us all the way from the UK for this special event. Jill hails from the North-East of Scotland, and her job includes working on the brand’s blends, purchasing new-make spirit to be filled into their own casks, as well as choosing and buying matured stocks. Apart from making whiskies, she is also a brand ambassador for Compass Box. She is the perfect person to be presenting the whiskies that we will be trying, as she has probably created and put them together with John Glaser.

When we got into the tasting Boyd, at 3am her time, was animated and charming. To the point that I made very few notes of my own, only to find myself wildly animated as well as I nodded, clapped, gave the thumbs up while finishing every single drop of the list below. The notes I have added are mostly Boyd’s.

The line-up, in the order in which we tasted:

Hedonism: This was a whisky I had tasted at the Universal Whisky Experience, aka the Nth, a few years back. I loved it so much I gifted Eddie a bottle later that year. There is vanilla, caramel, cream, and it’s 100% grain whisky. Boyd said it’s the grain whisky that accounts for the creaminess. She also said it tastes like Spring to her. This brought up a discussion about how many distilleries in Scotland are working with grain and the collective answer was seven.

Great King Street Artist’s Blend: We found a creamy nose with no burn, and a more traditional malt whisky finish though it was only 55% malt and 45% grain. Boyd said that the use of a sherry cask acts like an amplifier to the blend and allowed for notes like waxy apple, greens, woodiness, blossoms…fruity and juicy. And a literal steal for $35.

Myths and Legends: This was my favorite whisky in the tasting, after Hedonism. A single malt and not a blend. Creamy, vanilla and benefitting from charred barrels. I think this one goes for $170.

The Spice Tree: A 100% blended malt whisky. Boyd noted ginger, clove, Christmas spice, cinnamon and star anise. She also suggested making it in an Old Fashioned. Now that I want to try.

Magic Cask Ltd. Edition: Reminded me of warm waffles with a lot of maple syrup, also noted some dried fruit. Boyd commented that the vanilla notes came from the use of bourbon barrels and that the whisky was “lush”, to which I agreed.

Story of the Spaniard: This is their newest whisky, I had the Spaniard (Not the Story of) at the Nth event as well and recalled liking it very much. Both are made with a Sherry cask. This newer version was sweeter to me, and I think it would be a nice gateway whisky for newbies, an easy sipper.

Great King Street Glasgow Blend: Always serve your peated whiskies at the end of a tasting, and that’s what we did here. This one with some Laphroaig whisky (a whisky known for its great peat) had green notes and was really nice with a little water.

Peat Monster: Made with 35% Laphroaig whisky, as well as some Caol Ila whisky, there was a nice lemon, smoky bacon and green apple according to Boyd. A little water with this one worked for me too.

About Compass Box [link]:

Founded by US entrepreneur John Glaser from his kitchen in 2000 as a blending house for the modern era, constantly innovating a range of innovative blended Scotch, blended malt and blended grain whiskies. John is also always pushing for more transparency with the blends, and happily gives you the recipe to all his blends (something that is actually not allowed according to Scotch Whisky Association rules).

About Southern California Whiskey Club [link]:

A group of friends to gather together to enjoy and talk about whiskey and other spirits:

Try spirits that we would normally not be able to.
Review the history of different brands and see where they are today.
Promote education and awareness of the craft that is distillation.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Vintage Eve Circa Dec 2018: Scotland Part Three – Speyside Whisky

October 27, 2020 by evebushman

By now, if you’ve read parts one and two, I’ve left you pretty high and dry on the whisky portion of our recent trip to Scotland. But if you have made it this far your interest in visiting Scotland is at its peak, so here is your reward. We visited four whisky distilleries, toured and learned about a cooperage (some of our Kentucky bourbon staves are constructed into whisky barrels) and a whisky shop that only sells hard-to-find bottles. We also, thanks to Al from Rabbie’s touring company, took in some lovely views of endless green rolling hills, ancient cathedrals, grazing cows, goats and lambs, hiked up to waterfalls and saw the same famous arched bridge over the Glenlivet river that is depicted on the Glenlivet label. (Note: All sections that quote Rabbie’s will be in italics.)

My favorite people pic from our trips as these are the folks we traveled with, great bunch!

Day 1: Into the Highlands

Going north from Edinburgh we would enter the Highlands. We’ll stop at the historic village of Dunkeld for a short forest walk to see the waterfalls. Afterwards, we’ll lead to Pitlochry for lunch and to our first distillery visit at Dalwhinnie. This is the highest distillery in Scotland and the closest to the source of the River Spey. From Dalwhinnie we follow the river north through the Cairngorm National Park to the small town of Grantown on Spey.

The quick walk to see the waterfalls was well worth it. We couldn’t make out the salmon that had chosen to fight their way over rocks and rushing water, but we could see lots of foam from the water’s activity. It would be the first of many stops that took our breath away, and the first where we all – our fellow travellers hailed from England, Switzerland, Sweden and Australia – appreciated what we were able to take back in our memories.

Our first stop was at Dalwhinnie. Like all the distilleries there was a small fee for the tour and tasting, about $10, and another fee to upgrade your tasting to include more. We upgraded at each stop, who knew when we might be back? Of note: we met people that were driving themselves, for these guests the gift shops sold kits with small sealable bottles so you could take your tastes home with you. Unlike wine tasting (whisky is much stronger) there is no way you can taste and drive responsibly. And doing more than two distilleries a day seemed to be a bit too much for all of us in the tour. We were thrilled to have an experienced driver to mange the windy roads!

Our distillery guide at Dalwhinnie gave us our first of four lessons on how whisky is distilled. This part was not so interesting to me as I’m versed in it, and I’d have to say by our second distillery our entire group had also grown weary of it. My only comment would be that, like Napa Valley, the distilleries will probably learn to change it up at bit. The little bit of variation between how the distillers worked, or how large/old they were proved to be of enough interest to hold our attention until we were offered our tastes at the end. At Dalwhinnie we were given different flavored chocolates to pair with the whisky. It was a nice touch. However, again for me, I prefer to judge a spirit without food. So I went through each, preferring a nice 25 year old, then returned to enjoy with some of the chocolates.

Day 2: Exploring Scotland’s Most Famous Whisky Region

We’ll spend the entire day exploring Scotland’s most famous whisky region. After a scenic drive toward the coast our first stop is the family-owned Benromach Distillery for a personalized tour…then a lesson and tour at the

Speyside Cooperage. Later that afternoon we visited Cardhu Distillery, which produces the most important whisky in Johnnie Walker Black Label.

On day two we toured Benromach. What was interesting here for me was learning that the distillery began business in 1898 and had later shuttered, in my own lifetime, for at least a decade. When they re-opened, everything was still of use. And you know I asked what happened to the whisky that had been aging when they closed: still of use as well, just a lot older, rarer and more valuable. At the tasting we had a very lightly colored organic, peated and a classic 10 year old Spey. The peated stole my heart, and it was distilled in 2008 and bottled in 2017.

The Speyside Cooperage was fascinating, even though we went into it thinking, “What, no whisky?” Watching these men, both young and old, continuously slinging large hammers and rolling barrels as if they were just small weights, was kind of mesmerizing. We learned that they are paid per piece – and only if the barrel passed rigorous testing. I found myself drawn to a redheaded man that Just Never Quit. I didn’t count up how many barrels he seemed to be working on but the work never ended. We also learned that they make a good salary, often owning more than one nice car. And when it was time to retire – there was one older gentlemen – it was up to them to decide when. The older man didn’t complete as many barrels as his young counterparts, but it was a lifestyle he knew and wasn’t ready to leave behind. Pretty interesting.

At Cardhu we finished up our tour with a blind tasting of several whiskies. They called it the “Guess Dhu” Tasting. Our glasses were tinted blue so the amount of coloring – that comes from the smoked bourbon barrels that could have held anything but usually Bourbon to Sherry – was hidden. Our guide gave us some of the tasting notes for each, and then we were to try and match what we tasted with the correct bottle. Completely daunted by the task we all just dove in, made some notes, and lo and behold one of the young men from Sweden, who said he was the least experienced with whisky, was able to identify them ALL. Usually there isn’t a winner in every tour, it was actually quite rare to have a winner, and his photo was quickly snapped to share on a spot in the tasting room wall with photos of the other winners. It was quite exciting. As far as the tasting, I enjoyed them all, but I bought the one that was on special that month, the Amber Rock.

Day 3: Glenlivet & Balmoral Castle

On this final day of the tour we’ll take you through the beautiful Cairngorm Mountains as we make our way back to Edinburgh. In the morning we’ll explore Glenlivet, which is not just a distillery but also home to a beautiful glen that features great walks and abundant wildlife. Later on we pass by famous Balmoral Castle and stop in the village of Braemar in the heart of the National Park. From here the route takes us south over Scotland’s highest mountain pass and then through Perthshire before our arrival Edinburgh.

The idea of visiting one of the largest and well known distilleries in Scotland, (rivaled by Glenfiddich and now both being nudged out by The Macallan) was very exciting for the group. We were also told that Glenlivet was very generous with their pours. Yehaw, day three, Our Last Day, would start with a bang!

We ended up in a large room, with a lovely table filled with trays of whisky to be tasted. Embarrassed to say that I don’t recall the exact whiskies we tried, guessing it was 12, 18 and 25 year olds, but you know that point where you are so happy to be where you are, knowing it’s the last day you’re going to be there, that you just want to savor it? Yep, that was us. But, we weren’t done.

Al had made some calls after making good time on the roads, and lucky for us, the Whisky Castle in Tomintoul would see our party that afternoon. Al told us that they are very generous with their pours, and carried only the most rare and hard to find bottles. Everyone in our party tasted, and I believe everyone in our party bought at least one bottle. (I did take their business card with me as they do a good amount of shipping – but at press time not to the U.S!) And we took a bottle home that day too: The “Peated Malt” Old Ballantruan that we’ve since enjoyed at home.

Within days of our return home I took to Google to look for whisky events next summer to attend. I have my eyes already focused on this one: The Spirit of Speyside, hope to see you in Scotland soon!

Vintage Eve Circa Dec 2018: Scotland Part Two – Grantown-on-Spey

October 20, 2020 by evebushman

Being honest, I had never heard of the town of Grantown-on-Spey in Cairngorms National Park, known as the “gateway to the whisky trail”, until the tour company, Rabbie’s, planned for us to spend two nights there. But by the time we checked out…we had also checked out the local real estate office…there was something magical about this quaint Scottish town.

One of the many photos I shot…I’ll never forget this view.

The comfy and inviting B and B we stayed in was the Garden Park Guest House that I’ve learned was built in 1863. We had a lovely room for two upstairs, a welcoming host, a menu with traditional UK foods for our breakfasts, and it was a short walking distance past small homes to restaurants, shops, a market and ATM.

When we took our evening walks we also noticed a very grand hotel with a stone front and an expansive dining room that looked even older than our B and B. This may be one to check out in the future: The Grant Arms Hotel.

Even though it was very chilly and windy we walked alongside with many locals not concerned with the weather at all, and we found ourselves quite comfortable. The two dinners we had there were the best I had in Scotland, even after a couple of great dinners in Edinburgh, the food and the charm of Grantown-on-Spey ruled out all others.

When we entered The Wee Puffin, a wee small restaurant by most standards, we didn’t have any high hopes. It wasn’t very busy, we thought, until we noticed that almost every table had a “Reserved” sign. A large party of local ladies, in to celebrate a retirement, took over the entire back section. I thought we better order before they did and I quickly asked for Bangers and Mash. (This is something I’ve enjoyed locally at Rose and Crown.)

However, the owner wouldn’t let me get off so easily. He chatted with us for a bit, wanted to know where we were from, wanted to talk me into trying haggis (no) and then order a split bottle of single malt whisky (never bought a half bottle at a restaurant before, so that was a definite yes) and then we waited…for about two minutes. He came back with the chilled whisky, a new brand, the local Spey Tenne Single Malt that had been finished in tawny port casks. It was delightful. (We later took the near-empty bottle home to our room to enjoy one last dram before bed.)

When my food came I made swift work of it; lots of yummy flavors in both the potatoes and the sausages. While enjoying my dinner with the whisky, people that were in our tour had come in and chatted with us for a bit, while even more others had to be satisfied with just a look from the outside. It just left me with a very satisfied feeling. When I got back home and went online to “like” their Facebook page I learned that they recently added The Wee Birdie as a business inside the restaurant, for whisky purchases. More reasons to return.

The other people in our tour, and our guide Al, went on and on about some old place in town and their “Pies and Chips” only menu: The Craig Bar. Finally, when one rated their pies a 9.5 put of 10 we thought we’d give it a try. (I was afraid of “pies” as I had one in England decades ago and I was sick immediately afterwards.)

The Craig Bar looked like a hangout for old airplane fighter pilots with lots of military memorabilia, though the non-descript look of the building on the outside gave no hint to the warm and antique-y interior. The owner, I presumed this as she sat on a couch near a fireplace on one side of the two-roomed restaurant, took me behind the bar to select that night’s dram. I was smitten with her attentiveness and ease. The menu, all of about eight choices, and I still had difficulty. I chose a vegetarian option with local cheese and vegetables, and it was the most delicious savory pie I had ever had. We lingered, talking to locals, listening to locals, learning from locals…why this was also a place to linger and to want to return to.

Stay tuned for Part 3, the WHISKY, next week right here. Here’s your teaser:

From Rabbie’s

Speyside Whisky Trail – 3 day tour

Highlights:

~ Dunkeld and the Hermitage

~ Cairngorms National Park

~ The River Spey

~ Elgin

~ Speyside Cooperage

(Wednesday tour only)

~ 4 whisky distilleries

~ Royal Deeside

A warm welcome awaits you in Speyside, home to around half of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries. Your three day adventure allows you to sit back and

let us do the driving whilst you visit some of the finest whisky distilleries in Scotland and enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Cairngorms, Speyside and

Royal Deeside.

Stay 2 nights in Grantown-on-Spey in the Cairngorms National Park.

Vintage Eve Circa Dec 2018: Scotland Part One – Loving Edinburgh

October 13, 2020 by evebushman

Besides my articles on touring and tasting at The Scotch Whisky Experience and Edinburgh Gin there were many other adventures my husband Eddie and I had during our first magical trip to Scotland.

The whisky ride that starts the Scotch Whisky Experience.

Eddie had arrived ahead of me for business in London, so I met him there when he was through to travel to Edinburgh together. We desperately wanted to take the train, as we heard that the views were incredible, but due to other factors we had to fly. And that turned out to be the least eventful part of the trip. We told ourselves that since we had a three-day bus tour through the Speyside region we would be rewarded then. But first we started with touring a bit of Edinburgh, Scotland’s capitol.

And by the second day in Edinburgh, when my husband had to resort to spooning to keep me warm at night even though I was wearing flannels, I had more than warmed to Scotland. These are just some of the memories from our trip – in three parts – I wanted to share with readers, most are whisky-based while some share our thoughts on the people, the landscape, food and tourism:

On day one in Edinburgh we utilized some of our research. We knew we wanted to tackle the steep climb to the highest point of “Arthur’s Seat” so we made sure we selected the best day when no rain was expected, and none had arrived the day before to wet the rocky path.

This ideal day turned out to be our first day in Edinburgh. But FYI, I have a fear of heights. I battle it (love the Soarin’ Disneyland ride but my legs go numb from the knees down each time) so I knew what I’d have to do for the climb: not look down, ever. However, as it was as steep as promised, I still battled the numb-below-the-knees feeling as well as a pounding in my chest and some panting.

It was incredibly worth it. A 360 degree view of Edinburgh. And on a day a rally had been planned, with people from all over Scotland carrying/wearing/waving the blue and white Scottish flags all in the name of secession from the UK. We have no opinions on what Scots need best, that is up to them and their vote, but what an incredible sight. One we will never forget. (And, I know you are dying to know: Yes, there was an easier way down!)

Once we climbed down from Arthur’s Seat we started our walk back to our hotel by taking the Royal Mile route. This is a famous path for its many pubs, restaurants, shops and mingling with locals. We popped into many shops to look at woolen kilts, gloves and cashmere scarves, as well as the usual souvenirs. (I really wanted the coasters that pictured Scottish men with their kilts flowing up from the Scottish wind, but couldn’t imagine that they would be appreciated as much at home.)

Other highlights from our time in Edinburgh included a reservation to tour the Edinburgh Castle, fittingly perched on the top of the Royal Mile – and the view is breathtaking. Several buildings make up the castle and each had its own museum or display, including the crown jewels, the former prison, Mons Meg (giant cannon) and the great hall. The museums included both the National War Museum and the Regimentals Museum. These museums are not to be missed; we were awed learning about the battles and the history in scenes, writings, paintings and clothing. Learn more here.

We had fun checking out the various restaurants for local ale, cocktails, single malt whisky as well as fish n’ chips, oysters, steaks, fresh salads, Sunday Roast, gamey charcuterie and sharp cheeses. One bar, the Devil’s Advocate, was located on one of the many narrow “clos” between main streets that you have to climb down (or up depending on where you start) to reach. We were rewarded with a killer bar menu with cocktails slightly different than our own, as well as some people-watching.

We had two special dinners while in Edinburgh, the first was at the highly recommended Balmoral Hotel, in the Prince Bar, where we happily snagged an unreserved table, ordered very dry martinis (whisky would soon be the name of the game and martinis seemed to overflow with vermouth or brine in the UK) paired with oysters and charcuterie. We had a second round of drinks before we walked back to our hotel.

The other restaurant that we were referred to is Kyloe’s, which happened to be just steps away from Edinburgh Gin. The menu proved a bit more gamey than we were adventurous enough to try but our meal, filet mignon, and a nice split of Bordeaux, was spot on. Both restaurants were also perfect for people watching.

If I’ve interested you, next week I will share Scotland Part two: Granton-on-Spey and the last installment will be the week after that, Scotland Part Three: Speyside Whisky and The Views.

More to Learn: Japanese Whisky by Brian Ashcraft

October 4, 2019 by evebushman

On September 27 I did a review of the book Japanese Drinks on this website; today I have a second book on Japanese Whisky alone for you. Similar in format with lots of glossy photos and understandable text, I was impressed with the work of the Japanese distillers and distilleries, their challenges, the differences between them and their Scottish counterparts and some amazing reviews of many whiskies made by six of the leaders.

Some of the information on whisky was covered in the first book I reviewed so I will limit my review to what was new for me to share with you from this second book:

Between 2001 and 2017 Suntory and Nikka whiskies have won over a hundred accolades from prestigious international competitions.

Instead of adopting the spelling as “whiskey” like we do in the states, Japan uses “whisky” along with Canada and Scotland.

Some distillers started out as sake brewers, some continue to make both (sake is traditionally only made in the winter months). Some copper stills were used for shochu making before they were used for whisky. Many big distilleries have their pot stills made in Japan (and their own cooperages) while smaller ones rely on imports. Most distill the spirit only one time.

There are “Japanese twists” to not doing everything the Scottish way in malting, fermentation, distillation, maturation and more. Most malted barley is imported. Most whisky is colored with natural caramel food coloring.

Japanese whisky was first exported to the U.S. in 1934, a year after the end of prohibition. It wasn’t very popular, and with the onset of World War II this grew worse. However, during this period it grew in popularity in Japan.

Japanese whisky is considered “highly aromatic and floral.”

Some Japanese blenders eat the same food for lunch every day to “ensure a consistent” palate. Others avoid fish due to the oils and garlic for its lingering quality.

Mizunara, a rare Japanese white oak, is sometimes used for casks. The word “mizu” means water that the oak retains and “nara” means oak. This Japanese oak was originally used as sherry casks were hard to get in Japan during World War II. The oak is known to “expand the range of flowers” and other aromas in the whisky. There are downfalls: the wood is difficult to work with and all will leak at some point.

At Suntory Yamazaki Distillery they are experimenting with plum wine casks (the also make plum wine) for the finish on some whiskies. They are also aging some whisky in cedar casks.

Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Distillery, started his career in Scotland learning all he could about making whisky. From there he became the first distiller in Japan – at Suntory’s Yamazaki Distillery.

Venture Whisky Chichibu Distillery has planted their own Mizunara trees – unfortunately they won’t mature for use for at least 150 years.

Currently there are ideas on using local peat, other local woods and Japanese barley. Smaller distilleries are exploring the idea of working together.

Whisky Reviews

The over 100 reviews are by leading Japanese whisky blogger Yuji Kawasaki. I found these most interesting as some of the descriptors were familiar as ones I’ve used before but others, more in the line of calling up a memory, were not familiar as I don’t live in Japan. Some of my favorites include:

It’s Japanese sliding doors, a tatami room with a flower vase in an alcove and a bird fluttering from a branch. In a whisky, it’s rare to see such beauty as this. Hibiki Deep Harmony.

…it’s rose thorns and faint smoke for an experience that’s reminiscent of hazy sunlight in a gloomy sky. Miyagikyo Single Malt (no age statement).

…it’s like a bouquet of flowers was chucked out of the glass and directly in your face. Miyagikyo Single Malt, 15 YO.

There’s Japanese incense as well as a chalky notes that is reminiscent of the lime powder used on baseball fields. The Nikka Whisky 1999, 34 YO.

There’s a warm bushel of flowers and a slightly open wooden gate leading into a house with a dining table. On it there are grapes and pears waiting to be devoured…Ichiro Malt Five of Spades.

It passes through like an arm going into a sleeve until its one with you in a relaxing and natural way. Ichiro’s Malt Two of Clubs

These descriptions made my mouth water, what about you? Get your book here à https://www.tuttlepublishing.com/japan/japanese-whisky

Sampling Lambay Irish Whiskey

May 24, 2019 by evebushman

From the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburg, Scotland I had learned, “There was a moment, a hesitation, when those single malt fans, like myself, paused and thought, heck that master distiller is doing an incredible job. We need to give blends more credit! Single malt Scotch whisky wasn’t as popular as Irish whiskey until the master distillers created blends.”

This “a ha” moment, in learning that Irish whiskey was by far more popular than Scottish whisky gave me great pause. In my own tastings of whisky from both areas I found Irish whiskey slightly sweeter than the Scottish counterpart, but then again I haven’t had as many Irish whiskeys compared to the number of Scotch whiskeys I’ve tried.

Recently I was offered two from Lambay Whiskey to sample. (Note: if the whiskey is made anywhere other that Scotland they must use, for the time being, the spelling with the e.) These are my tasting notes on two single dram samples I was sent, both finished in Cognac casks, sampled with my Neat whisky glass:

Lambay Whiskey

Small batch blend

Triple Distilled, blend of bourbon cask whisky with a Cognac cask finish.

40% ABV

Color: Pale hay.

Aroma: hazelnut, popcorn kernel, sweet whipped cream, smoke, orange zest, butter, no burn.

Flavor: slight burn on the palate but not enough to need water, walnut, hazelnut, butter, dried apricot, and with a spicy long finish. Nicely balanced. Would enjoy this with smoked oysters or vanilla ice cream, depending on my mood.

Lambay Whiskey

Single Malt

Triple Distilled, blended with Lambay Island Trinity Well water and finished in a Cognac cask.

40% ABV

Color: Deep honeyed, gold.

Aroma: more fruit on the nose than the blend with banana, apricot, orange and pear, followed by a little tropical fruit like kiwi, jasmine – or some other floral component – milk, toasted almonds and oak.

Flavor: sweeter than the blend, spicier too, darker and deeper with flavors of toasted oak, not the fruit I found on the nose with the exception of banana, dried leaves, cigarette on the finish. I felt about this whisky like the way I’ve felt about some wines: I get a real big kick when the nose is so different from the flavor. Just makes me want to spend more time savoring it. Would enjoy with cheese and charcuterie and something with dark chocolate for dessert.

From Facebook

Two distinguished families, a new kind of Irish whiskey, and the island that inspired it all.

Once upon a most unusual island, two entrepreneurial spirits from two very old families decided to form a unique partnership. Together, they’d make a whiskey. But not just any whiskey – their triple distilled Irish whiskey would be one of dynasty and devilment, of rarity and refinement.

Their idea was to craft an innovative Irish whiskey inspired by the island of Lambay, ancestral home of the Baring family, and finished with the techniques and expertise of Maison Camus, ancestral home of Cyril Camus.

Lambay Island is a peculiar paradise, a mere three miles off the coast of Dublin. Lambay, a veritable odyssey of oddities, is also home to a herd of grazing cattle, an improbability of puffins and an even more improbable troupe of red-necked wallabies.

We’ve combined the centuries-old distilling expertise of Irish whiskey making with the century-old blending and maturing expertise of Maison Camus to create this unique and unusual range of whiskeys.

https://www.lambaywhiskey.com/

Experiencing the Universal Whisky Experience 2019

May 17, 2019 by evebushman

In the three years we’ve been lucky enough to attend the Universal Whisky Experience, aka the Nth, I’d have to say it just keeps getting better and better. This year we covered less ground (husband and I split the room – at the Wynn in Las Vegas – in two) and still only tasted maybe a quarter of what was being poured. And even though we each had two tickets for Super Pours, the brand ambassadors offered us everything they had – or it at least seemed that way! (If you just want a synopsis you can go here for photos alone.)

Last time I can share this banner…with yours truly on the top right next to The Nose!

This year I spent my first hour giving some attention to a few Bourbon tables; though I usually make a beeline for the oldest single malts in the room, I mixed it up this time. It might be because there was a large table set up with pre-measured pours, pens and tasting notes drawing my attention to the back of the main hall.

The table I’m referring to was set up Maker’s Mark Bourbon. The tasting experience that Maker’s Mark “Diplomat” Phil Olson talked me through was amazing. I learned about the different oak expressions, and the aromas and flavors each had. I noted that I liked the Seared French Cuvee, Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength (46 is the name of the particular wood), Roasted French Mocha and Toasted French Spice – this final one was my favorite. All four used French oak. I also noted that as my palate “warmed” so did my preferences. (Phil had me go back and revisit a couple.) I could’ve spent the entire evening there, and never made it to his finale where you are meant to blend your favorites, then get a few pals to agree with your choice = your own 15k barrel!

Moving on, though it was hard, I was in the mood for Bourbon and quickly found a Las Vegas based distiller, Smoke Wagon Bourbon. I enjoyed all three bottles they poured, and could see why they had won several gold and double gold medals at the San Francisco Wine and Spirits Competition.

Alpine Distilling, located in Park City, Utah, was a surprise for me. The botanicals in their “Summit Gin” slayed me. Now I just have to figure out how to get it from Utah here in So Cal! Also of note for me was their “Spur” Whiskey.

Then I got very much side-tracked by That Boutique-Y Whisky Company. I tasted everything in their line-up. Completely blown away with whiskeys from Japan, So. Africa and England. I think there were a dozen I tried, and a few in the back I got my hands on too. If you ever have an opportunity to taste this whisky brand don’t miss it.

The Scotch Whisky Syndicate 58/6 was a new thrill for me to taste, according to their Facebook page it is “an award-winning 12 Year Old specialist Blended Scotch Whisky, finished in Sherry butts for a distinctly richer fruity character.”

Glenfiddich had 12, 14 and 15 year olds, but I went straight to the 21 year old – as I had visited the distillery in Scotland and had done more than my fair share there. (If you ever get to Scotland don’t skip Glenfiddich – very generous pours. And while you’re at it reserve your kilted driver, aka tour operator, via Rabbie’s.)

I definitely had to stop at the Dewars’s blended Scotch whisky table, as Brand Ambassador Georgie Bell had made me a fan at a past Universal Whisky Experience event where we tasted through all of the single malts that go into Dewar’s. This year I sampled 21, 27 and 32 year olds, all “double double aged for ultimate smoothness.”

Had to taste from Westward American Single Malt Whiskey…when whisky pal and leader of the So Cal Whiskey Club Ries Michael manned the booth.

Finally, I’d like to give a special shout out and thanks to founder Mahesh Patel and organizer Mit Patel, can’t imagine anyone else pulling anything like this off but the Patels and their team.

More Brands Seen at the Show (keep in mind that each of these brands had several pours.)

Macallan

Old Pulteney

John Craggie

Glencairn Crystal (Great nosing glass!)

The Dalmore

Highland Park and Glenrothes

Johnnie Walker

Tomatin

Total Wine

Benromach

Gordon and MacPhail

Facundo Rum

John Dewar Malts

Hardy

Borderies Cognac

Suntory Whiskey

Whistle Pig

Sazerac Rye

Glenfarclas

Dictator

Royal Salute

The Glenlivet

Aberlour

Loch Lomond

The Balvenie

And even though I was lucky enough to be featured in the 2019 Facebook banner ad and don’t expect the honor again, I will be stalking the website and Facebook pages listed below to see if the event photographers caught me “in the act” of having the time of our lives. See you in 2020!

https://universalwhiskyexperience.com/

https://www.facebook.com/universalwhisky/

https://www.instagram.com/universalwhisky/

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 15k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Nevada’s Bently Heritage Estate Distillery Tasting Room Opens to the Public

March 28, 2019 by evebushman

MINDEN, Nev., – PRNewswire – The Bently Heritage tasting room opened to the public on February 9, 2019. Tours are offered through the reservation system at bentlyheritage.com. The cost of a tour is $20; tastings are $10. The tasting room hours of operation will be from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Thursdays, from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sundays. Tours will generally run from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

The distillery’s home, which is currently pursuing LEED Gold certification, was the site of the century-old and historic Minden Flour Mill, a local landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Owners Christopher and Camille Bently have lovingly restored the historic building to state-of-the art standards, creating an important landmark which will be a source of pride for Minden, Carson Valley, and all of Nevada.

Bently Heritage Estate Distillery uses 100% of its grains from those grown on the operation at the Bently Ranch. Winter rye, oats, wheat, corn, and barley are milled on-site and malted in-house on the malting floor. The distillery’s Mill Building creates single malt whisky using handmade Forsyths pot stills that were imported from Scotland. The distillery’s Creamery Building distills vodka and gin, using carl pot stills imported from Germany. Bently Heritage has also begun the process of oak barrel aging their single malt, bourbon, and rye for future releases.

Three spirit offerings are included in the first Bently Heritage release: Source One Single Estate Vodka, Source One Vodka Rested in Oak Sherry Casks, and Juniper Grove American Dry Gin. All products are sold in 750ml bottles for between $32 and $40. Bently Heritage whiskies are currently aging in barrels and will be available in the future.

You can visit Bently Heritage, L.L.C. at 1601 Water St., Minden, Nevada 89423, or find us online at bentlyheritage.com.

About Bently Heritage
Bently Heritage Estate Distillery creates ultra-premium spirits from grains that have been grown on the Bently Ranch here in Minden, Nevada. Our products elevate the connoisseur’s passion for luxury spirits, creating an experience that will be treasured for generations to come.

Wine and Spirit Goals for 2019, NOT Just About Drinking

January 11, 2019 by evebushman

Thinking that in my ten years of writing about wine and spirits, I must’ve set some goals, written them down and shared them in past articles. Did a quick Google search and found yea, sounds familiar as I did it once, just last year, in the column titled: Why Not Have…Drinking Goals for 2018? And No, it’s not too late to set them!

So I gave my 2018 article a gander, to see how many of my goals were met, to see if I should even attempt goals for 2019. The first goal, to learn about Mezcal, wasn’t a complete failure as I got to taste at least one in 2018. So that goal has a continuance for this year. I also went to more wine bars this year…or maybe I should say visited one wine bar more: Newhall Press Room. So that goal was partially met.

I made it to the Japanese Food and Restaurant Expo again, co-hosted our first Wine on the Roof and fourth Cocktails on the Roof for the WiSH Education Foundation, visited Salt Creek Grille and had wine, attended another Peatin’ Meetin’ organized by the LA Scotch Club and didn’t die…

But I still need my WSET Level 2 in spirits to be offered hands on as online classes are still the only type being offered. So I may have to give in on that goal, bite the bullet and try the online course this year.

Didn’t make it back to Utah or Denver for more spirits, but I did make it to SCOTLAND for plenty of Whisky!

Attended the tastings and classes at the Universal Whisky Experience in Las Vegas – which we plan to attend again this year in April.

So what’s up for 2019:

As the West Ranch Beacon* website shut down earlier this year, removing me from one weekly column commitment after about a decade, I thought I should look around for something new.

I can add more Eve Bushman Consulting Clients – so if you own a bar, restaurant, winery or wine bar and need some marketing ideas email me at Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com. My business partner Michael Perlis and I have been successfully consulting and marketing for our clients for many years now.

Also thinking about trying something new…starting out as a small Brand Ambassador might be a good fit, though I’d need some training as that part of the industry is very new to me. I have plenty of experience with wine and spirits via the numerous events we’ve created and hosted, as well as the many we’ve marketed, and have enough wine and spirit education under my belt to be able to easily learn about a brand that is looking for representation in Santa Clarita Valley, San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles. If you hear of anything email me at Eve@EveWine101.com

So, those these new goals aren’t drinking goals, they all still involve the industry I’ve been involved with for over 10 years. I’m not going anywhere! Regardless of what I may add to my workload to make up for the closure of the West Ranch Beacon, know that Eve Wine 101 and Eve Bushman Consulting will continue as they have for many more years to come.

*If you hadn’t finished reading a particular article of mine on the Beacon, or are looking for my archived articles, please email me: Eve@EveWine101.com. I have all of my articles saved. Those over three years old were shared again, under the title “Vintage Eve” on Tuesdays on https://www.EveWine101.com. Newer articles, including the last three I did in the Scotland series, I can email out as word docs to whoever wants them. These will also be re-purposed on EveWine101 on Tuesdays within the next three years.