Bladnoch Distillery Releases New Collection of Whiskies in the US

November 20, 2021 by evebushman

Bladnoch, Scotland — 204-year-old Lowland distillery, Bladnoch, announces the release of three new Single Malt Scotch Whiskies in the United States: Vinaya, 11 Year Old, and 14 Year Old. This new core range was created by Master Distiller Nick Savage for incorporation into Bladnoch’s permanent portfolio. Each expression in the Classic Collection perfectly showcases the signature Lowland style and range of flavors the historic distillery is known for—floral, spice and fruits, with a hint of chocolate.

‘Vinaya’, a Sanskrit word meaning respect and gratitude, pays homage to the original founders and the distillery’s heritage, and is a No Age Statement (NAS) whisky. It is the second NAS single malt whisky in the portfolio, following the 2018 release of Samsara. The 11 and 14 Year Olds are aged single malts that will be annual releases in the ongoing portfolio.

The Vinaya is matured in a unique combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks, never before released by the distillery. First-fill ex-Bourbon barrels highlight the floral notes from the distillery character along with refreshing, citrus sweetness. First-fill ex-Sherry casks then add a subtle rich body to the whisky and mouthfeel to the experience. Presented at 46.7% ABV, it has notes of fresh apple, sweet floral grass, and hints of chocolate. The finish is light and refreshing, making it a stunning representation of Lowland style Single Malt. MSRP: $54.99

The 11 Year Old is an impeccable 100% ex-Bourbon cask matured expression that perfectly reflects traditional Lowland style Single Malt. It is smooth and refreshing with a lemon gold color. Notes of delicate floral, sweet honey, and fresh cut apples make this a truly memorable malt. MSRP: $64.99

The 14 Year Old is an elegant Lowland Single Malt matured in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks bursting with flavor. The color of a bronze sunset, it has hints of sweet spices, dried fruits and chocolate with a rich, long finish. MSRP: $109.99

“Releasing three new products simultaneously in the US market is extremely exciting. The release of Bladnoch Vinaya, 11 Year Old, and 14 Year Old offers a breadth of experiences, and it is the start of a range that not only demonstrates the quality of Bladnoch whiskies, but also the accessibility for everyone to find their perfect dram,” says Dr. Nick Savage, Bladnoch’s Master Distiller.

All releases are non-chill filtered and natural in color with water sourced from the River Bladnoch that flows alongside the distillery to ensure the richest flavor is bottled. They are available for purchase at select retailers in New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, Colorado, California, and Washington state; and the Vinaya is also available online at https://us.bladnoch.com/collections/whisky-shop. For more information, please visit www.bladnoch.com or follow Bladnoch Distillery on Instagram.

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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 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.

Learning, Tasting and Joining: Vegas Drammers!

October 15, 2021 by evebushman

As we have been in Las Vegas a lot more these days I sought out all kinds of food and drinking establishments. Through my “research” I found the global Drammers club founded by Charlie Prince and their newly established Las Vegas Chapter run by Bob Brown. Eddie and I attended our first meeting at a strip location where we had more than enough brown and clear spirits to warrant a second meeting. Below is the second invitation to join the club, with liquor descriptions by Prince, shared with his permission and in italics are my notes:

Vegas Drammers!

We wanted to make sure everyone had seen that our next Drammers Las Vegas tasting will be Sunday, September 26th at 6:30pm. We’re coming hot off visits to both Scotland/Europe and to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, so we’ve got a bunch of fun bottles in tow that you’re unlikely to get another chance to try! Drumroll please…

Very Old St Nick – Curia – Kentucky Bourbon Fest Exclusive. We’ll be coming to Seattle straight from the Kentucky Bourbon Fest, and we’ve got some fun bottles in tow to share. The team at Preservation (behind Very Old St Nick and Rare Perfection) released this bottle exclusively at the fest. It’s a bourbon bottled at 47.6% abv, and since it was released under the Very Olde St. Nick line, you know it’s not a young whiskey. I’ll try to find out more before we get there, but this is definitely a one-off-shot to pick this up. This was the first whiskey we tasted and was an immediate favorite for many of us. Charlie, along with his notes above, shared that this distiller was making wood-heavy bourbons before vodka took over in the U.S. The flavor was very popular in Japan before becoming well-liked again in the U.S. Aromas included sweet roasted and buttered corn, suede and no burn on the palate. Flavors like suede, toffee, corn nuts, creamy and smooth. Charlie said it had cherry cordial flavor and another bourbon lover noted fig.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. – Distillery Collection – Triple Stave Finish. Released to coincide with the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, this special release was only available at the distillery when we picked it up a few days ago and is almost certainly now sold out. It is a blend of straight whiskies finished with oak staves. 54.% abv. I asked Charlie about this bourbon, as I knew one of my favorite Napa wineries – Phifer Pavitt – collaborated on a bourbon with them. He said they do a lot of collaborations, using a barrel that held Phifer Pavitt Napa Cabernet Sauvignon being one of them. He hadn’t had the Phifer Pavitt collaboration but he had plenty of others, and that the distillery is “huge…well financed…(and) shockingly big like an Olympic swimming pool.” The one we tasted wasn’t a collaboration but instead they had incorporated a “Triple Stave Finish” instead. On the nose there was that cream, white pepper and a lot of vanilla bean and toasted oak. A new friend said she noted maple syrup and waffles, that we all had to agree with. That same maple syrup over waffles was also apparent in the taste with some burn, vanilla, walnut and Charlie noted sweet marmalade.

2 Expressions of Buzzard’s Roost Rye. Bourbon Bistro was arguably the first major whiskey bar in Louisville, a game changer that was way ahead of its time, and today it is rightly celebrated as one of the powerhouse drivers of bourbon culture in Kentucky. So it was particularly exciting to learn on our recent trip that they have launched their own line of whiskies – Buzzard’s Roost! We’ll be trying two of them this evening — a straight rye in a peated barrel (!), bottled at a delicious 52.5% abv (batch 1), and a barrel strength, also bottled at 52.5% abv (batch 2). These releases were limited to 800 and 1100 bottles respectively. We’ve tasted them, and we’re really excited about them. Charlie told a story about the Bourbon Bistro – a game-changing bar in Louisville with a secret menu of prohibition era whisky. Of course he got his hands on that menu, and spent about $1,000 that night enjoying drams from it. These ryes are a launch of their own whisky line. First came the barrel strength. My new whisky pal immediately noted that it was almost like a tawny port, I agreed. Aromas reminded me of sweet frozen vanilla custard, hazelnuts, a wood sauna; with flavors of sweet Kettle corn, caramel corn and a hint of banana. Next we sampled the rye finished in a peated smoked barrel – something none of us had heard of before. Peat bogs were not used, instead the rye was aged in a peated smoked barrel, giving it a more subtle peat flavor. Reminded me a bit of the Ardbeg An Oa. I noted salted nuts and smooth white chocolate on the nose; with a drop of water it became a very easy sipper, maybe a gateway for those new to peated whisky, lots of nuts and others noted flavors of gingerbread and that the peat in the nose came out after tasting it.

Mlody Ziemniak 2020 and The Barell Spirits Whiskey finished in a Pear Brandy Cask at 59.9$ abv, a Drammers Club pick. Whisky enthusiasts tend to be respectful of all other spirits categories except one — vodka. But these bottles might change your mind. The logic goes that by definition, the spirit needs to be tasteless and odorless, so what’s there to be proud of? The culprit here is that vodka is by definition distilled up to at least 96% alcohol, thereby eliminating a lot of the potential flavors. But what if you took the same distillate, and only distilled it once, stopping at 60% abv? And what if Poland’s most prestigious craft vodka distillery made a point to do it in a special limited edition series to highlight flavor differences among potato varietals? That’s exactly what Chopin did, and we were so blown away by the results, we flew to the distillery in Poland to do an event live with the founder, where our US members tried samples and voted to pick an exclusive batch for our club. That batch hasn’t arrived yet, but in the meantime, we’ve secured the very limited 2019 and 2020 special editions (From Eve: The 2019 was unavailable for this tasting) released under their “Mlody Ziemniak” (or “young potato”) line. These bottles can only be found in Poland currently, and in our opinion, they’re a game changer. Very anxious to cleanse my palate with a vodka, one where we could possibly taste the base potato spirit. Most of us didn’t care for this one much. On the Barell Spirits Whiskey Pear finish Charlie said that they make about 100 different weird finishes and this unaged version was finished in a pear brandy cask. Aromas reminded Eddie of bubble gum, while I noted dried berries, a boxload of Harry and David pears, flamed orange peel and fruitcake; with flavors of Triscuit crackers, hay, spam, Umami, and another person noted distinct “burnt popcorn”. This was not a favorite of the group.

Glenkinchie Distillery-Only Cask Strength Handfill. Diageo put a lot of money into revamping the visitor center at this Lowlands distillery just outside Edinburgh, and it opened in the middle of Covid, so that so far, they haven’t been able to welcome many visitors. If you haven’t heard of this distillery, it’s no surprise — over 90% of what they distill goes into the Johnnie Walker blends, so very little has been released under the “Glenkinchie” brand in the US, and of that virtually none of it is at cask strength, making this distillery only handfill bottle a particularly rare treat. Distilled in 2009, bottled in 2021, so approximately 11 years matured. I tried a small sip at the distillery, which was amazing, but otherwise haven’t really had a chance to try this yet. 55.2% Charlie said this was possibly 12 years old, hard to find, he picked up about 30 bottles just for his clubs. This was not the favorite in the line-up, but nothing wrong with it. While Charlie got notes of red apple cider, I noted toast, both sweet and spice notes, and a softness on the palate after adding some water.

Lagavulin Feis Ile Bottling 2020. About 10 of us had made plans to attend Feis Ile in 2020, and but for Covid, we just might have done it. If we had, the only way we would have had a shot at getting this bottle would have been if we’d camped out overnight at the distillery for Lagavulin’s big day. Instead, with the fest taking place virtually, we were able to pick up a bottle in their gift shop a couple weeks ago for us to taste! Bottle 1,924 of 6,000 bottles, it’s a vatting of 20yo refill and PX/Oloroso seasoned hogsheads personally selected by (then) distillery manager Colin Gordon and bottled at cask strength. Charlie said that before Covid maybe up to 3,000 people could score two bottles each of this whisky. This is a 13 year old. Found cream, grass, mushroom and umami notes on the nose, others also noted an earthy quality. The taste reminded me of olive brine and white pepper, another drammer noted Spanish olives.

That’s our lineup! And you never know with us, we might show up with a bonus surprise or two. We hope you can join us.

We’ll also provide yummy pizza as usual. A huge thank you to our Las Vegas chapter head Bob Brown for organizing!

Of course, we’re only getting started here in Las Vegas, and looking to continue to grow our chapter, so if you know anyone you think might be a good fit for the club, please feel free to invite them to join us…

Cheers,

Charlie Prince

President, Drammers Club

www.drammers.com

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.

Ardbeg Uigeadail Wins Whisky of The Year at The 2021 International Whisky Competition®

August 5, 2021 by evebushman

LAS VEGAS, NV — Dr. Bill Lumsden, Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks at Glenmorangie & Ardbeg Distillery becomes the 2021 Master Distiller of the Year for crafting Ardbeg Uigeadail, which won Whisky of the Year 2021 and will receive the top prize in the industry, the Golden Barrel Trophy.

The International Whisky Competition just released its results for this year’s most respected blind tasting judging event. The top recognition, Whisky of the Year, was awarded to Ardbeg Uigeadail which scored 95.9 points, the highest-scoring whisky of the competition.

2021 Official results: www.whiskycompetition.com/2021-results

The 12th edition of the International Whisky Competition took place in Estes Park, Colorado over five days, from May 12 to 16, and received whiskies from all over the world from what distilleries believe to be their very best. A world-class tasting panel made of whisky, spirit, beer, and wine experts blind tasted each whisky on an individual basis (8 minutes per whisky).

Each whisky was scored using a comprehensive 100-point scale system developed by Sebastien Gavillet, IWC Head of Tasting Panel. This process and the fact that only three medals are awarded in any category, make the International Whisky Competition the most followed whisky competition and one of the most professional competitions of its kind in the world.

We warmly congratulate Dr. Bill Lumsden, as well as his team, for creating such an exceptional whisky. This is the fourth time that Dr. Lumsden receives the highest awards for his whisky creations.

Ardbeg Distillery will receive the Golden Barrel Trophy for winning the Whisky of the Year during a ceremony to be held later this year in Scotland.

The Secret Garden Distillery Announces Appointment of ImpEx Beverages as its Exclusive US Importer

June 14, 2021 by evebushman

The Secret Garden Distillery is proud to announce they have joined forces with ImpEx Beverages, a California based spirit importer, to bring their award-winning gins from Edinburgh to the USA.

The first shipment will soon find its way into specialty retailers across the USA. The expressions for this launch include Damask Rose & Juniper, Lemon Verbena & Juniper, and Pink Elderflower, Jasmine, & Juniper. Each of these bring with them a unique experience for the American consumer, as the nurture and love for each botanical shines through with every sip.

Damask Rose & Juniper

A lovely golden gin with aromas of rose and hints of juniper. It tastes like Turkish Delight with some light citrus and candied cherry. It’s a gorgeous, delicate gin that is as refreshing as it is beautiful.

Perfect serve: Pour over ice and mix with a premium light tonic water and watch it naturally transform from a shimmering gold to a lovely pink in honor of this noble rose’s petals.

Lemon Verbena & Juniper

Crystal clear gin with aromas of citrus, lemon sherbet, and hints of herbs. Its zesty flavors are intermingled with juniper.

Perfect serve: Pour over ice and mix with a premium light tonic water. Garnish with a slice of lemon or a sprig of fresh mint.

Pink Elderflower, Jasmine, & Juniper

A delightful salmon pink gin with aromas of orange and pink grapefruit. On the palate it’s quite exotic with citrus and sweet orange flavors. All the sweetness is coming from the natural residual sugar of the plants.

Perfect serve: Pour over ice and mix with a premium light tonic water and watch it change from salmon pink to a brighter vibrant pink. Serve with a slice of pink grapefruit.

Hamish Martin, Founder of the Secret Garden Distillery, said: “I am so delighted to be working in partnership with ImpEx Beverages as our exclusive distributor in the US. They have embraced our beliefs and truly understand our ethos and our one true value; to be rooted in nature. I started the business with a dream, to create a Garden that works hand in hand with nature, using no chemicals whatsoever and actively encouraging our wild indigenous plants. These magical plants and herbs offer an array of natural flavors that work so well together in our gins. There are no added sugars, artificial colorings, flavorings, or preservatives, just nature distilled. We hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoy making them.”

Andre de Almeida, Managing Director of Secret Garden Distillery said “This is an exciting time for The Secret Garden Distillery, as we embark on the next stage of our journey. Hamish has built a unique business proposition underpinned by his passion for nature which is at the heart of everything. Working in partnership with ImpEx Beverages is an important step in sharing our story with Herb Garden premium gin consumers across the world. We are very excited for the future and our partnership with ImpEx Beverages.”

When speaking to Sam Filmus, President of ImpEx Beverages, he said, “We could not be more pleased to embark on this adventure with The Secret Garden Distillery. These amazingly unique gins and the team behind them are sure to bring delight to US Consumers looking for something more than just your average gin. Add to this the way the natural botanicals react to tonic water and change the color of the spirit, you have a real crowd pleaser. We look forward to seeing the US fall in love with Herb Garden Gin, just as we have.”

About The Secret Garden Distillery

The Secret Garden Distillery lovingly crafts every bottle from seed to sip, and create unique tasting gins full of natural flavors and aromas with no added sugars, artificial colorings, flavorings or additives. Always with a commitment to better their sustainability credentials and impact on Mother Earth.

The Secret Garden Distillery was founded by entrepreneur and herbologist Hamish Martin, on a 7.5-acre site based on the outskirts of Edinburgh with its very own gin botanical garden.

Hamish and his wife Liberty originally purchased the site in 2012 with the dream to create The Secret Herb Garden, filled with plants, using no chemicals whatsoever, working hand in hand with nature and encouraging wild indigenous plants to flourish. Hamish, who had previously worked in the wine and spirits trade, started to experiment with herbs and spirits to demonstrate how remarkable nature is in naturally delivering flavour and color. By October 2017, the Secret Garden Distillery was established.

The Secret Herb Garden has over 600 naturally and sustainably grown varieties of herbs and plants, including a wide range of junipers, angelica and a dedicated apothecary rose garden. All plants are lovingly cultivated and hand harvested to ensure the highest quality. The botanicals are dried naturally at 37 degrees, distilled and then bottled at 43% ABV (for the US Market only) as they believe this is best for the floral flavors to harmonise with the gin. The garden is maintained with no chemicals – they only use plants to heal plants. They also ensure nature gets its fair share, and currently leave a percentage of plants unharvested to create wildlife habitats to feed and encourage wildlife and allow their 11 colonies of bees to have their fill too.

About ImpEx Beverages

In 2008, a new chapter began for Sam Filmus, after years in the business captaining JVS Imports. With ImpEx Beverages, his vision was to import premium and rare Spirits from around the world, with a special emphasis on the best of what Scotland has to offer.

In 2018, Chris Uhde joined Sam as his business partner in ImpEx Beverages and together they have expanded the portfolio and vision for ImpEx.

Now, ImpEx boasts an impressive portfolio, including some of the most notorious small to medium sized distilleries and independent bottlers.

ImpEx Beverages imports Whisky, Gin, Rum, and Mezcal from Scotland, Belgium, Wales, Japan, Israel, and Mexico with future anticipated additions from unexpected destinations. We also feature a fine line of Liqueurs and Cordials produced in the US.

Regardless of your preference, you are sure to find something that pleases from the ImpEx Beverages Portfolio.

For more information on where to find these amazing craft gins, please email office@ImpExBev.com.

Slàinte Mhath to a Successful In-Person 2021 Universal Whisky and Spirits Event

June 1, 2021 by evebushman

Slàinte Mhath, the traditional Scottish Gaelic toast to another fabulous, and yes In-Person, Nth Ultimate Whisky and Spirits Experience which just concluded April 25, 2021 at Wynn Las Vegas, NV. “It’s a re-start after a tough 2020 without an event, and there will be more Nth experiences to come,” a sentiment from and very much like the tenacious stature of Mahesh Patel the world’s top whisky connoisseur and founder of Universal Whisky Experience. Mr. Patel has been hosting the main Nth event annually in Las Vegas for over a decade as well as ancillary events around the world.

Similar to the hardy nature of the liquid itself, Universal Whisky Experience showed the hospitality world it is as resilient as the luxury whisky expressions served at the Nth 2021. Master Blenders and Ambassadors from House of Hardy, Dalmore, House of Dewar’s, Royal Salute, Gordon & MacPhail, Chivas Bros, William Grant & Sons, and Glenturret presented rare whiskies from around the globe. Representation of these famous brands were both in-person and live-stream. Although its typical at the Nth for physical appearances from these international brand celebrities, they were there in spirit, no pun intended. Many shared their passion in the wee hours of the morning from private residences overseas, still in shut down, demonstrating true loyalty to the spirit industry!

It was a different setup this year as State and local government protocols restricted planning the standard full event attendance. This year celebrated a more intimate luxury Masterclass format educating whisky and spirits enthusiasts on ingredients and crafting of premium rare whiskies, rums, cognac, ports, and the like. With the help of the world class staff at Wynn Las Vegas, the Nth team designed Masterclasses and luxury dinners with appropriate social distancing to ensure the comfort and safety of attendees and still encouraged meaningful interaction. Even while social distanced the flow of the conversation and ease of camaraderie were unmistakable. Due to COVID protocols a room which typically housed exhibit stands with a tasting crowd five times the current attendance, was now set classroom style with one person per 6-foot table. Nevertheless, the guests had an enjoyable experience in this format discussing their enthusiasm for whisky, sharing tasting thoughts, nosing a glass or two, and asking valuable questions of the whisky experts and representatives of the brands.

Mark Guyton, Starkville, Mississippi commented, “There is simply no comparison to any event I’ve attended around the U.S. or in Scotland. At the Nth, you are interacting with master blenders from the distilleries – these are the very folks who decide which casks of whisky are going to be bottled, and which ones should remain in the warehouses for a few more years. You get to taste whiskies that you would never be able to taste anywhere else. Over the decade of attending the Nth I’ve made lasting friendships with other whisky enthusiasts and master distillers from around the world.”

Gavin Linde, San Diego, CA, “The Nth is hands down the best whisky event in the United States, the whisky you get access to and educated on, is nothing but the best. The Master Classes are next level, getting to meet the blenders and talk through each whisky is an experience like no other.”

New attendee Stephen Meyer, “We attended The Nth because it was the only established luxury whisky event being held in the first half of 2021 and were delighted to discover how much participation there was from world renown experts. The quality of the experience overall was more than worth the time and ticket price. This event is now a repeat for me every year!”

About Universal Whisky Experience:

Universal Whisky Experience is a promoter of luxury, super-premium whisky experiences and concierge service to assist in attaining some of the most sought-after whiskies around the globe. For more information please visit: www.universalwhiskyexperience.com

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.

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.