The Scotch Blog

Traverso's Glenfarclas Bottling

Traverso's Private Scotch Whisky Cask now available.

Cask # 685
11 years Old
750 ML
92 proof
Distilled on February 15, 1996
Personally tasted and hand-selected at Glenfarclas Distillery on March 23, 2007. 
Bottled on July 18, 2007

$59.95 each, or 3 bottle special $149.95 + tax

Michael Traverso's Tasting Notes

It was a cool March morning.  The wind was coming from the North and rain was beginning to fall as we drove along the river Spey enroute to Glenfarclas Distillery.  After an early lunch of venison sausage and local beer, we began to taste from the casks.  One after one...the decision was very difficult.  But then...Cask #685 presented itself...like and old friend.  This was the one!  It clearly stood out as the winner.  We selected this cask for its rich flavor and smooth finish.  This is a fine malt that can be enjoyed and appreciated by the Scotch connoisseur or novice.  Notes of leather, tobacco, and hints of caramel on the nose.  Palate flavors dominated by expressions Oloroso Sherry and underlying hints of maple.  Little to no peat.  Only 306 bottles available.

We can ship to you or hold for pick-up.
Contact us today:
www.traversos.com

707-542-2530
877-456-7616 toll-free

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This is not a paid promotion for either Traverso's or Glenfarclas.

Another Glencairn Resource

The Glencairn Glass is the only whisky glass you should be tasting your whisk(e)y in.

Don't argue with me. I've tried them all and there's no discussion.

I've written about it here and here.

I get a lot of emails asking where people can find these glasses, especially in the US market. Marty & Dave Coffey of Cobhthaigh Celtique wrote to let me know that they are selling the Glencairn Glass for $8 each (plus shipping) with discounts for multiple purchases.

Here's the page.... (BTW - their site doesn't look right in my browser, but Dave tells me it is a work in progress).

They also have some great photography of Scotland for purchase...

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This is not a paid promotion for either Cobhthaigh Celtique or Glencairn.

Toronto Whisky tasting

Historic Mackenzie House in downtown Toronto is hosting a beer and Scotch tasting Feb. 8 from 7 - 9 pm ($50, participants must be 19 years or older).

Todd McDonald, Director of Spirits for William Grant and Sons (PMA Canada) leads the tasting of oak-aged beer and Single Malt Scotches including Glenfiddich 12 YO Single Malt, Glenfiddich 15 YO Single Malt and Glenfiddich 18 YO Single Malt.

Traditional Scottish foods, including a delicious haggis, will also be served.

The event is a fundraiser for Mackenzie House, the former home of Toronto's first Mayor, William Lyon Mackenzie. The 1840s Greek Revival row-house is lit by gaslight, which is sure to lend a moody ambience to the event.

To register call 416 392 6915. Mackenzie House is located at 82 Bond St.(east of Yonge St. and south of Dundas St.).

Black Bowmore Competition

This in from Bowmore & Chunk.

Morrison Bowmore Launches Prize Draw to Promote Black Bowmore

Digital marketing agency Chunk has launched a new campaign for Morrison Bowmore, targeting Whisky lovers and collectors Worldwide who have been waiting with anticipation for the release of Bowmore’s oldest ever expression the now legendary Black Bowmore. In conjunction with its release one lucky winner will be drawn at random to win one of these limited edition bottles worth £2000.

Each of the 827 bottles have come from a single cask a vatting of 5 casks filled on the 5th of November 1964 and are individually hand numbered and come with a wooden presentation case.
Bowmore are offering a unique opportunity to own a piece of distilling history by launching a free prize draw to win one of these exclusive bottles. Entries are only open to those of legal drinking age in their respective countries and participants can enter online at www.bowmore.co.uk.

The prize draw is also part of the build up to the new Bowmore campaign which launches at the beginning of next year. The Bowmore Way website, which is aimed at Whisky enthusiasts, includes a host of never seen before lifestyle video tips, public debate and opinion, competitions and much more.

Ewan Morgan, Online Ecommerce Manager for Bowmore, said, “The Black Bowmore prize draw is just the first of many exciting campaigns on the Bowmore website. I’m sure this will help raise the online communities awareness of Bowmore as a premium Single Malt Whisky brand. This is new, exciting ground for us in many respects and we hope to run many more new and exclusive promotions in the near future.”

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This is NOT a paid promotion.

This is a press release.

Now THIS is Marketing

Attendees of the Glasgow Whisky Live will have the chance to participate in one of the best the best whisky marketing stunt in a long time.

What is a "Whisky Amnesty"?

The same idea behind a gun amnesty - something that is unfortunately a common occurrence here in America, whereby you turn in your illegal firearm and all is forgiven.

But this one is different and much better - it's like turning in a hand gun and getting a bazooka in return.

Got a bottle of some horrible Vodka? Crappy Blend left to you by a dead relative? Nasty Rum you picked up in Belize? Something unidentifiable you picked up in Bulgaria and are afraid to drink?

Turn it in and Highland Park will give you a bottle of their 18 year old in exchange.*

Jason Craig, Highland Park's Global Brand Controller, tells me:

To be able to host a Whisky Amnesty in Scotland is both exciting and an honour, as never before has an event ever been run like this within the whisky industry.

Highland Park 18 years old is a multi award winning single malt which we have wanted to showcase as much as possible and what better way to do this than to give whisky lovers the chance to enjoy it for themselves. Over 140 people have already registered to take part so we know it is going to be very popular on the day.

The amnesty will begin at 3pm on Friday 2nd November at Highland Park’s stand within Whisky Live, held at the SECC, Glasgow.
 

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* Rules? There are always rules.

• Bottles brought to the amnesty must be full sealed 70 cl bottles of any spirit.
• The replacement bottle will be a 70cl bottle of Highland Park 18 year old
• One exchange per person
• There will be 200 bottles distributed on a first come first served basis
• All bottles handed in will be recycled and their contents disposed of in accordance with WRAP and Scottish Water Guidelines

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2008 arrives

The Malt Whisky Yearbook arrived today. As attractive as ever and even more indispensable.

 

They also had some nice things to say about The Scotch Blog:

www.thescotchblog.com

This is, in our opinion, the best whisky blog at the moment.

More and more people apparently agree with us as discussions begun here often continue in other Internet fora.

The Scotch Blog features on-line news and commentaries about the Scotch whisky Industry.

The author is New Yorker* Kevin Erskine, one of the more outspoken whisky personalities. He does not shun challenging myths and holy cows within the industry and many of his postings leave plenty of food for thought.

Geez, guys. I'm blushing.

Other sites run by contributors to TSB that get the thumbs up are Nonjatta and Dr. Whisky as well as perennial fan favorites like WhiskyCast, Malt Madness and Serge's Whisky Fun.

Also still waiting to hear from you Americans to gauge interest about carrying the 2008 MWYB, like I did last year. They sold out quickly.

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*Technically I am NOT a New Yorker - while I did grow up (birth - 21) in the city-so-nice-they-named-it-twice, I now reside elsewhere. But once a New Yorker, always a New Yorker.

The Scotch Blog is the Best!

It's Saturday July, 14th and I've come to Can Can, one of my favorite local restaurants (French-themed if you couldn't guess), for a dinner of Moules & Frites (that's mussels and french fries, savages).

They've asked me to step away from the bar, as the Can Can girls are about to start dancing. On the bar.

My night is looking up.  No, this isn't an everyday occurrence. It's Bastille Day.

I've just picked up my mail from the office and in the pile is the latest issue (#64 - August 2007) of Whisky Magazine, sent to me from my friend Elliot Fishbein, owner of Town Wine & Spirits (Rhode Island, USA)

As some of you know, I moved my residence back in February and apparently one of the things lost in the shuffle was my subscription (Yep, I pay for my subscriptions, just like everyone else.)

Well the reason that Elliot has sent me the issue is that apparently Whisky Magazine says I'm the best.

My night is looking even more up.

The article is called "Blogging It" and despite the fact that "blog" is an integral part of this site's name, I really dislike the term. It's almost dismissive. But I digress. It's The Scotch Blog, and I'm stuck with it for now.

Written by Richard Jones, the article declares that The Scotch Blog is indeed, the best. And I think it is pretty cool to be recognized by a leading industry publication.

The actual article must have been written some time ago as they reference stories from last Fall, but here we are, still going strong, months later.

Reproduced, totally without permission:

www.thescotchblog.com

At the time of this writing, this is simply the best all-around Scotch whisky blog on the web.

Author Kevin Erskine provides frequent, well written, considered and often thought-provoking posts on a range of whisky related subjects. Recent examples of the more controversial variety include 'Men Behaving Badly', a criticism of certain attendees at a recent whisky event and 'Too Many Bruichladdich Editions?' questioning the number of releases from this Islay distillery along with a robust defence by Mark Reynier.

(ed. note - I actually wrote about the issue of too many Bruichladdich expressions in a story called 'A Visit to the Laddie'. Too Many Bruichladdich Editions was Mark's response.)

The blog is an excellent source of up-to-date whisky news with such items as the reorganisation of distillery managers at InverHouse, the latest BenRiach wood finishes and the new-look packaging for Highland Park.

It also has features more commonly found on a traditional website / forum such as 'Ask the Collector', a chance to pick the wisdom of The Whisky Exchange's Sukhinder Singh on matters of rare whiskies and their values.

Kevin is a US based blogger so some of his entries on forthcoming tastings are only of interest to readers on his side of the Atlantic, but this is a minor criticism.

The Scotch Blog is an invaluable, informative and highly entertaining resource for Scotch whisky lovers everywhere.

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Much thanks to Whisky Magazine; Richard Jones and Rob Allanson (Editor) as this is the type of recognition that makes writing The Scotch Blog worth my time. I especially like when terms like "well-written" are used to describe my work.

I'd also like to thank Sukhinder Singh for taking time to actually value the whiskies. He answers 10 emails for every one that makes it on the site.

Of course, I'd like to thank the readers, without whom, this would just be masturbation. In the mental sense of course ;)

Now, who do I talk to about getting nominated as a Keeper of the Quaich?

Other worthy sites mentioned:

The Daily Dram - Dormant since January 2007

Whisk(e)y 2.0 - Hungary represents

Whisky Fun - Malt Maniac Serge Valentin talks whisky and music

Whisky School - Also dormant since January 2007 - but James Thomson of Ladybank likes to come here and argue with me over my views on India :)

Get your Blue engraved in DC

The Wine Specialist (Washington DC, USA) wants everyone to know that that they can get your bottle of JW Blue engraved anytime of the year:

I noticed that you had an old post about Johnnie Walker Blue Engraving – and I just wanted to let you know that The Wine Specialist in Washington DC is offering engraved bottles for Father’s day (or any other event/day).  We don’t have the kiosk, but we have it worked out with Johnnie Walker that if people want to purchase a bottle of blue label before May 30 and have it engraved we can do it for free.  We will be collecting the orders until May 30 and then send the bottles to be engraved and then either ship the bottles to consumers or father’s or whoever.  We don’t have the exact date of delivery of the engraved bottles but we are guaranteeing delivery for Father’s Day.

Here is our post about it on our website.

Thanks,

Jamie McLimans

Last Call on the Malt Whisky Yearbook

What the hell are you doing?
It's February and you STILL don't have a copy of the 2007 Malt Whisky Yearbook????

This really is an indispensable guide - attractive, well done and packed with information.

The list price for the MWY is £12.95 - with the ever plummeting exchange rate that was approximately US $24.62 the last time I wrote about the book here. Today it's $25.55! And if you order from the MWY site, you'll pay an additional £3.95 shipping to the US or Canada (now US $7.80) for a total cost of $32.13 $33.35.

And if you order through Amazon - OH WAIT - You can't. They don't have it!

The Scotch Blog is the only place in the U.S. (that I know of) that you can buy the 2007 Malt Whisky Yearbook.

As if that weren't enough, I'm down to my last 10 copies - and I very likely won't be getting any more - and if I do, I'll have to charge more to make up for the decline in the damn US dollar. ( And here I am headed to the UK twice in the next 2 months!)

Your cost (which includes shipping & handling in the United States) is still $27.50. Plus for just $2.50 more you can also get one of the Famous Grouse/Scotch Blog T-Shirts (also limited quantities).

(The shirt is only available in one size - Large.)

You can also order the T-Shirt for just $4.95 which includes Shipping & Handling (US only).

Outside the US? email for shipping costs.

One last thing

I have ONE Malt Whisky Yearbook which was slightly damaged in transit. The upper back edge was banged up a mite. From the front you wouldn't even notice it.

If you order that one, you get a free Famous Grouse T-shirt, and a free Connemara Irish Single Malt Whiskey mini key chain flask. What a deal! Just email before ordering and tell me you want "the deal".

Order through DoceonPress

Fuelish behaviour & some classy expression

Some of you may have heard that issues with a pier on Islay, combined with rough weather had put a stop to fuel deliveries to the island threatening to put a halt to distillation for a while.

A reader writes to ask:

Dear Scotch Blog,

I've just read the post on Bowmore and its planned makeover.

It mentions " A stylish,very contemporary space with a simple tasting bar arranged to take advantage of picture postcard views over Loch Indaal (giving a good view of iconoclastic local rival Bruichladdich into the bargain!)".