The Scotch Blog

Gift Pack Season

I love the Christmas season. Not for the reasons you are thinking (8 years in catholic school squeezed any faith out of me). No, I love going to the liquor store and seeing what gift packs have been cooked up by the liquor companies.

On a recent trip to my local VA-ABC (that's the horribly named Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control) to pick up bottles for an upcoming tasting (if you are curious: Famous Grouse, Scapa, Highland Park, Ardbeg and Old Pulteney).

Wandering around the shop I got to see what's in this season:

Many companies stick with the easy way out and offer glasses: Herradura Tequila, Bacardi Rum, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, JW Black Label, Chivas Regal, and Crown Royal all offer gift packs with one of two rocks style glasses. Vodkas are big with martini glasses - Citadelle, Belvedere and Chopin; while Stolichnaya takes a more Russian approach and offers 4 shot glasses. Corazon tequila decided to offer a choice of shot glasses OR rocks glasses.

Free Stuff for the Mailing List

If you had signed up for the mailing list, you'd have had a chance to win one of five remaining whisky hats...

Free Stuff - Glenfarclas

Glenfarclas

Ah Summer comes to a close and so does the weekly hat give-a-way. This will be the 12th hat I've given away. But I still have a few things laying around as we resume the monthly give-a-way schedule.

Here's the question...

Glenfarclas achieved a notable distinction this year. What was it?

UPDATE: Scott B. of Connecticut, USA was the first to answer that Glenfarclas was selected the Distillery of the Year by Whisky Magazine

---------------------------------------------------
Remember the rules:

• Be the first person to email me the answer.
• You can only win if you have not won "Free Stuff" before.
• Include your Postal/Zip Code.
• I will notify the winner and let you know the shipping cost.
• I will NOT notify you if you did not win.
• The winner must respond with payment within 48 hours, or the offer goes to the next person who responded.
• Payment is by PayPal only.
• No hat substitutions.

On the Road with The Malt Project - Part 2

Today we bring you part 2 of On the Road with The Malt Project by guest writer Jack Oswald.

At the end of the story there is another chance for one lucky reader to win an "I'm a Peat Freak! Are You?" t-shirt from The Malt Project.

Click here to read part 1.

---

On the Road with The Malt Project Part 2 – by Jack Oswald

So, it’s about this time that you ask “why are they doing this?”. We’ve asked ourselves that a number of times.  The real answer is a labor of love. I lived in Scotland for nearly four years, while I was an Air Force Officer. Our two oldest kids were born there. (I guess that’s why Jeff is a malt freak).  We’ve gone back to visit several times and usually wound up at a distillery. My production associates are all great single malt fans and we just felt it was something we wanted to share with our viewers.  As we say on our web site “This is a Whisky DVD series designed for all, from the novice to the serious connoisseur.  It’s valuable as an entertaining visit to Scotland and as an educational reference companion when you’re sharing your malts”.

At this point, you’re supposed to be asking, “What can we expect in Volume Six?” Glad you asked.  It’ll be another two disc volume probably titled The Islands, the Shores, and Campbeltown and off the beaten path Speysides”.

Free Stuff - Macallan (#5)

The Macallan (Hat #5)

Here's the question...

The Macallan has a particular quirk regarding it's labeling. What is it.

Update: Perhaps this question was a little too obscure for folks.

The quirk is: Despite the fact that The Macallan sits directly in the heart of the Speyside Region, they choose to label the Macallan a Highland Whisky.

---------------------------------------------------
Remember the rules:

• Be the first person to email me the answer.
• You can only win if you have not won "Free Stuff" before.
• Include your Postal/Zip Code.
• I will notify the winner and let you know the shipping cost.
• I will NOT notify you if you did not win.
• The winner must respond with payment within 48 hours, or the offer goes to the next person who responded.
• Payment is by PayPal only.
• No hat substitutions.

On the Road with The Malt Project - Part 1

I had been planning for some time to write a story about The Malt Project. If you are not familiar with The Malt Project it is a five (and soon to be six) volume DVD series all about Single Malt Scotch.

When I started corresponding with Jack Oswald, I found out that he was in the midst of completing production on the latest volume in the series.

I thought it would be great if Jack could tell us, in his own words, about The Malt Project and how it got started. Jack was happy to oblige, and here is the result...

At the end of each segment of this 2-parter there is a chance for one lucky reader to win an "I'm a Peat Freak! Are You?" t-shirt from The Malt Project.

---

On the Road with The Malt Project Part 1– by Jack Oswald

Seventeen days, seventeen hundred miles, 8 car ferry trips and 22 distilleries later, we arrived back in Phoenix with 16 hours of new high quality digital video for The Malt Project. 

Free Stuff - WhiskyFest

WhiskyFest

Here's the question...

There are 2 WhiskyFest shows currently taking place in the US. Give me the cities as well as the dates for the two upcoming shows.

UPDATE: Michael O'G from Illinois knew that New York was coming up on November 6, 2006 while Chicago is next spring - April 13, 2007.

---------------------------------------------------
Remember the rules:

• Be the first person to email me the answer to the question.
• You can only win if you have not won "Free Stuff" before.
• Include your Postal/Zip Code.
• I will notify the winner and let you know the shipping cost.
• I will NOT notify you if you did not win.
• The winner must respond with payment within 48 hours, or the offer goes to the next person who responded.
• Payment is by PayPal only.
• No hat substitutions.

Free Stuff - Macallan (#4)

The Macallan (Hat #4)

No question this time...

Email me a picture of yourself enjoying The Macallan.

UPDATE: Not one person out there sent in a picture. Shame. I now own a nice Macallan hat.

---------------------------------------------------
Remember the rules:

• Be the first person to email me.
• The picture may be posted here on The Scotch Blog.
• You can only win if you have not won "Free Stuff" before.
• Include your Postal/Zip Code.
• I will notify the winner and let you know the shipping cost.
• I will NOT notify you if you did not win.
• The winner must respond with payment within 48 hours, or the offer goes to the next person who responded.
• Payment is by PayPal only.
• No hat substitutions.

Free Stuff - JW Black

Johnnie Walker Black

Here's the question...

In what year was the famous "Striding Man" logo introduced?

UPDATE: 1909. Chris S. from right here in Richmond, Virginia gets the hat.

---------------------------------------------------
Remember the rules:

• Be the first person to email me the answer to the question.
• You can only win if you have not won "Free Stuff" before.
• Include your Postal/Zip Code.
• I will notify the winner and let you know the shipping cost.
• I will NOT notify you if you did not win.
• The winner must respond with payment within 48 hours, or the offer goes to the next person who responded.
• Payment is by PayPal only.
• No hat substitutions.

Free Stuff - Macallan (#3)

The Macallan (Hat #3)

Here's the question...

There are currently two bottles of The Macallan Replicas available. Name the years...

UPDATE: The answer was indeed 1841 & 1876 as so many of you answered. Rob W. from Oregon gets the hat.

---------------------------------------------------
Remember the rules:

• Be the first person to email me the answer to the question.
• You can only win if you have not won "Free Stuff" before.
• Include your Postal/Zip Code.
• I will notify the winner and let you know the shipping cost.
• I will NOT notify you if you did not win.
• The winner must respond with payment within 48 hours, or the offer goes to the next person who responded.
• Payment is by PayPal only.
• No hat substitutions.