Whisky Live, London 2013 - Our highlights

Last weekend was significant for two reasons - firstly, just when we thought that Spring had sprung, the weather came out fighting and gave London a bone chilling snowy blast from Siberia.  Secondly, the globe trotting Whisky Live show rolled in to town.  This year the event was once again held in The Honourable Artillery Company, close to the City of London. The impressive building is a historic 18th Century mansion set in six acres of garden.

Winner announced

Last week, we launched a reader competition which offered the chance to win a pair of tickets to this coming weekend's Whisky Live festival in London.  This competition was held in conjunction with The Glenlivet Guardians and the prize included a VIP whisky tasting with Ian Logan, The Glenlivet's Global Brand Ambassador.  This is to be held in a specially constructed Guardian's area at the show.

Well, we are delighted to announce that the winner of the competition, drawn at random, is Joe Holmes who is a member of The Glenlivet Guardians from Yaxley near Peterborough.  He correctly told us that the Glenlivet distillery was founded in 1824 and that the man who founded it was George Smith. Whisky Live London is to be Joe's first ever whisky show, so we are looking forward to hear about his experiences of the event and the whiskies that he tries.  Well done Joe and enjoy!

Inbox - March 16, 2012

Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our email inbox. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece that we receive. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday.

Within Inbox we write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information.

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Yesterday, we announced a new competition in conjunction with The Glenlivet Guardians.  The prize is a pair of Saturday tickets to Whisky Live, London which is taking place at the Honorary Artillery Company next week end.  The closing date for entries is 20:00 GMT on Monday 19 March.  For details of the competition and how to enter, plus the terms & conditions - click here. Don't miss out!

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Bushmills - First 'Live' bands announced
Last week, we reported on the launch of the Bushmill's Live music festival which is to be held at the Northern Irish distillery this coming June (click here to read full details). Well now the first selection of bands and acts have now been announced. 

These include the multi million album selling Snow Patrol, Oscar nominated musician Foy Vance and award winning singer and songwriter Iain Archer.  Just to remind you, there will be no tickets on sale for this event - instead fans are invited to enter a competition draw on the Bushmills Facebook page. The competition draw begins on St. Patrick's Day (tomorrow - Sat 17 June).

Drammie Awards 2012 launched

The on-line whisky community website For Whisky Lovers have announced that the nomination process is now open for this year's Drammie Awards.  The awards are designed so that all whisky consumers can vote for their favourite whiskies, products and organisations, rather than just industry experts.

The 2012 Drammie Awards have 15 categories that you can nominate your favourites for.  The closing date for your nominations is Friday 30 March, and following this date For Whisky Lovers will publish the top five nominations in each category and ask for votes.  The winners of each category will be announced on Monday 16 April. For further information and to enter your personal nominations - click here.

Knob Creek - New rye version

The premium American whiskey brand of Knob Creek have announced the release of a small batch rye whiskey.  The Knob Creek Rye is made with a blend of high quality rye cereals and has been released due to popular demand.  Rye whiskies were widely consumed in the early 1900s, but the Prohibition period killed it off.  Only now are they again getting some significant attention from consumers. 

The Knob Creek Rye is bottled at 100° proof (50% ABV) and is being released now in selected states in the USA.  Further states and other markets will follow in the Summer.  The recommended price for a 750ml bottle is $35.99.

Competition time - Win Whisky Live London tickets with us and The Glenlivet Guardians

We are delighted to announce that we have teamed up with The Glenlivet, the iconic Scottish single malt brand, to offer one of our readers a pair of tickets to this year's Whisky Live event in London.  The Glenlivet are exhibiting at the show and holding regular tasting sessions during the two days. Sadly, we are unable to attend this year's event but this competition means that there will still be a Whisky For Everyone presence at the show!

Whisky Live, London 2012 is again being held in the impressive surroundings of the Honorable Artillery Company on City Road, London EC1Y 2BQ.  The event spans two days and this year's dates are Friday 23 and Saturday 24 March.  The pair of tickets on offer are for the Saturday and includes your own VIP tasting with Ian Logan, The Glenlivet's International Global Ambassador.  This will take place in The Glenlivet Library, a tasting space that is being specially constructed at the show.

The rules are simple. Firstly, you have to be a signed up member of The Glenlivet Guardians - this is The Glenlivet's exclusive whisky club that offers members an array of special offers and events, exclusive entry to their own members Library at the distillery, plus access to a specially created section on the The Glenlivet website.

If you are already signed up then you are good to enter.  If not, then panic not because you can easily sign up at www.theglenlivet.com/guardians and once you have successfully joined then you are free to enter our competition. Secondly, you have to get the question below correct!

Please find our Glenlivet related question below and email your answer to whiskyforeveryone@gmail.com with the subject line of 'Glenlivet Guardians Competition'. If you need any clues, then check out our distillery profile on The Glenlivet on the Whisky For Everyone website.

Question - Which year was The Glenlivet distillery founded and who was the man that founded it?

Good luck and we look forward to receiving your entries -
Karen, Matt, Chris & Matt T.

Terms & conditions
➢ You must be aged 18 years or above to take part.
➢ You must be a signed up member of The Glenlivet Guardians to enter.
➢ Only one entry per email address will be accepted in to the prize draw.
➢ The closing date for the survey is 20:00 GMT on Monday 19 March 2012. Any entries after this time cannot be considered.
➢ The winners will be drawn and notified shortly after the closing time. At this point, the winner will be required to give a postal address for delivery of tickets. If the winner is not a member of The Glenlivet Guardians, then an alternative winner will be drawn.
➢ The decision is final, once the result is drawn.
➢ The winner will receive a pair of tickets to the Whisky Live show in London for Saturday 24 March 2012. This will include entry to the show, welcome bag and all it contains, and a VIP tasting in The Glenlivet Guardians library with Ian Logan.
➢ Transport to and from the venue in London is at the winner's cost.
➢ No cash alternative will be offered as a prize.
➢ Personal information supplied is for the sole purpose of the prize draw.

Whisky Live 2011, London

It is that time of the year, when the weather is still wintery and bleak in London and we are just all hoping that spring comes early this year. For anyone familiar with the whisky event circuit that makes it way around the UK, this marks the time for the global phenomena of Whisky Live to roll its way into London. This year saw the event appearing in the central location of The Honourable Artillery Company Army in the heart of the City of London. The impressive building is an historic 18th Century mansion set in a six acre garden.

Like all recent Whisky Live events in London, this means making your way through numerous security gates to get into the building’s entrance hall. The venue had a far cozier feel than in previous years and everyone attending seemed to be in high spirits as a result. This year saw a number of new faces exhibiting including the Teerenpeli Finnish whisky company and the The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, as well as many famous names such as Glenrothes, The Glenlivet, Whyte & Mackay (including The Dalmore), Classic Malts from Diageo (including Talisker and Caol Ila) and Berry Bros & Rudd.

We were lucky enough to try a wide range of whiskies at the event and thought we'd share a few of our favourites and a few special treats that we were lucky enough to try.

Tyrconnell 10 years old Madeira Finish and 10 years old Sherry Finish
Tyrconnell Irish single malt whiskey is quite unique for an Irish whiskey with 100% malted barley distilled in small batches in a copper pot still. Produced by Cooley Distillery, the Tyrconnell brand was named after a legendary Irish racehorse that won with 100 to 1 odds, giving rise to the equine logo you find on Tyrconnell's bottles.
The Madeira finish whiskey at is aged in American oak before being given four months in Madeira casks before bottling. It is a rich fruity whiskey with chocolate notes and lots of rum and raisin ice-cream characteristics, with just enough woodiness to keep the dried fruit flavours in balance.
The sister whiskey finished in used Sherry casks for around 6 months after maturation in American oak also has an ABV of 46%. It is a rich amber colour with notes of honey and vanilla balanced into a rich and full spiced orange palate.

Connemara Turf Mór
Like the Tyrconnell, this Irish single malt whiskey is produced by the Cooley distillery. While this is a whiskey we have tasted before (see notes for Turf Mór) we reacquainted ourselves with this delightful peaty dram and had to include it on the list of favourites. At 58.2% ABV this a hearty dram with cereal like peatiness balanced with citrus freshness and a long sweet smokey finish.

Bowmore 16 years old Port Matured
From the oldest of the eight distilleries currently operating on the island of Islay in Scotland, comes this somewhat experimental 'limited edition' bottling (well, only a mere 18,000 bottles!). Bottled at 53.1% ABV after spending 16 years in Port pipe casks, this whisky is a dark ruby red colour with rounded soft smokiness, rich red fruits like dark berries, burnt cereals, and warming earthy spice. The cool fact about this whisky is that it was matured in the famous Bowmore vaults - below sea level!

Benriach Solstice
Benriach is one of the few distilleries in Scotland that is currently independently owned and has a reputation for having no fear when it comes to experimenting with flavours in whisky. Launched on the shortest day of the year in 2010, Benriach Solstice was created for the cold depths of the Scottish winter. It uses heavily-peated malted barley to produce a spirit that is then matured in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in aged Tawny Port casks sourced from Portugal's Douro region. Matured for 15 years with an ABV of 50% this is a whisky bursting with character. Sweet biscuit peatiness is met with fresh warming citrus on the nose while the warming smoke and spiciness comes through on the palate. We thought this whisky was delicious and certainly lives up to its warming reputation.

Benriach Horizons
A 12 year-old triple-distilled malt scotch whisky which was newly released for the winter of 2010/2011. This unusual Speyside whisky was an experiment in the late 1990s for Benriach as they tried some limited production runs of triple-distilled whisky, compared to most single malt scotch whiskies which are distilled twice. Bottled with an ABV of 50%. This whisky has us dividing opinions as to whether we this works or not. This whisky offered a buttery nutty nose with a clean fresh taste that matched the nose and gave some creamy sweetness to the mix. The split of opinion came down to the fullness of the whisky on the palate which was argued between being too thin and just right.

Compass Box Flaming Heart (Third edition - 10th Anniversary bottling)
No arguments here, Flaming Heart took first place in Dave Broom's blind tasting masterclass on Friday night, and the queues to get anywhere near Compass Box's stand was a tribute to this whisky. Compass Box is a boutique independent whisky producer with an ethos to buy whisky from a small number of distilleries and then craft them together into their own unique whiskies. Flaming Heart is a one-off, limited release produced from whisky from seven distilleries located in the northern Highlands and Islands and bottled at 48.9% ABV. This is a surprising whisky that blends warming fruit, peppery spices and smokiness together without any one overpowering the other. Add a long moreish finish and it does makes sense why this whisky had more people than just us raving about it.

Compass Box Hedonism
One that we have tried earlier but had the pleasure of revisiting (see our review for Hedonism). Hedonism is unusual for a scotch whisky being made from 100% grain whisky. Not a drop of single malt is present in this vatting. The use of quite old whisky makes the standard release of this whisky amazing value, typically over 20 years in age and in this bottling between 14 and 29 years. In the glass we experienced sweet vanilla and cereal grain alongside oak, coconut and honey, but not forgetting toffee, warm gingery spices. As you can tell from that shortened version of our tasting list this is a complex whisky that at 43% ABV is remarkably easy to drink and enjoy.

Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix
A very limited bottling with a quaint back-story. Following the extreme snow storms and cold weather faced by much of Scotland in January 2010, a number of Glenfiddich's warehouses were damaged due to extreme weight of snow that was resting on their roofs. Many casks were destroyed in the fallen buildings but a few lucky casks remained intact and were safely protected by a layer of snow for up to four months. While the distillery staff tried frantically to save as many casks as possible, the extreme cold was having its influence on the casks. Hence these whiskies became named 'Snow Phoenix' - the whisky that rises from the snow. The varying ages of casks including some very old whisky aged in both American oak and Oloroso sherry casks, leading to the decision to bottle at cask strength (47.6% ABV) as a non-aged single malt. Snow Phoenix is golden whisky with fresh apples and blossoms combined with cinnamon sugar on the nose, a dry woodiness initially to taste but warming into dried citrus, chocolate and warm spiceness on a long moreish finish.

Glenfiddich Age of Discovery
This bottling marks the start of a new series from Glenfiddich. This new bottling that is due to hit the travel retail market in Spring 2011, with a general retail release at some time towards the end of the year, most likely October. Named to celebrate the pioneering nature of the 15th century Portuguese merchants, this 19 years old bottling is aged in both European and American oak (around 15% to 85% ratio) then finished in Madeira casks sourced from Henriques and Henrique, an independent Madeira company. With a nose full of sweet caramel sugar and warming citrus notes akin to dried orange peel, this whisky has surprising subtleness on the palate with sweet fudge and butterscotch meeting gentle fruitiness. The sweetness is successfully balanced with dryness to make Age of Discovery one of the more impressive cask finished whiskies.

Talisker 8 years old (sample)
Until the 1980's Talisker's standard bottling was produced as an 8 years old whisky, after which time Talisker gave into the overall customer demand for whiskies aged 10 years on more. With whisky drinkers becoming more savy and experimental, Talisker are getting back to their roots and experimenting with this more youthful whisky expression again. The sample we were lucky enough to try was from the first batch that was only bottled on Tuesday earlier in the week, and yes, Mr Taxman, the duty was paid. Bottled at 62.4% and bourbon cask matured, this whisky was a delightful dram and really did offer the characteristics that are so frequently associated with Talisker - gentle peatiness, smoke and warming spiciness with citrus freshness and the notable fresh saltiness to remind you that this whisky is made on a small island.

Glendronach 31years old 'Grandeur'
Glendronach Distillery prides itself on producing richly sherried single malt whiskies of inimitable and individual character, and this dram certainly delivers on that front. This whisky came as a delight and a surprise from a distillery that has been described as a sleeping giant.
Full of rich chocolate, coffee and nuts, dried fruits and berries, with a warming syrupy feel, this whisky almost asks to be poured over icecream, but that would have requirement the difficult task of prying it out of someone's hands. You would never guess that this is a cask strength whisky at 48.9% given its smoothness. Definitely an after dinner whisky that should be supped with care and enjoyment.

Glen Moray Chardonnay cask (due to be released in July)
Glen Moray is a bit of quiet force. Along side of their compact standard range, Glen Moray are bringing out a few interesting and quite exciting cask finish bottlings. This year we got to try the delicious Port finish bottling which is rich and full of dried fruits, rich nuts, toffee and a peppery spice that balances nicely with the richness. The outstanding dram for us, however, was one which has not yet been released and while we were in the lucky position of being able to get a preview, we went for it. This whisky was fresh, tangy and floral with moreish buttery vanilla notes that kept this dram rich but still fresh and balanced on the palate. Slightly biscuity with fresh green fruits.

We must thank everyone that kindly allowed us to try many a sample, but mostly send a big hello to everyone we met (new faces and old) that made such an enjoyable few days. Hope to see you there next year.

Whisky Live 2010, London - Whiskies we sampled

This is the second part of our review of the recent Whisky Live event in London. Whisky Live is an event that showcases the diverse world of whisky to the general public. There are two events in the UK - one in London and the other in Glasgow. They are the biggest whisky shows in the UK and this year's London show marked the 10th anniversary of the event being held in the city.

This year, the venue was the prestigious Hurlingham Club - a posh members only club on the banks of the River Thames. For two days last weekend they allowed the commoners in to drink some whisky. We were both in attendance for both days of the show - Matt doing his 'day job' selling whisky to people and Karen doing her 'favourite hobby' ... drinking whisky! Between us, we sampled plenty of whisky and decided to split the reviews in to two parts. The first part included the new releases and other special Whisky Live bottlings that were on offer. This second part concentrates on some of the other interesting whiskies that we sampled.

Aberlour 18 years old
This whisky is one of the rarer single malts in the core range of this popular Speyside distillery. Aberlour are well known for their use of quality sherry casks during maturation and is in the top 10 for worldwide single malt sales and number one in France, who are the biggest consumers of whisky in the world. This 18 years old is dark amber in colour and has a rich, fruity nose - dried fruits (think of raisins especially), candied orange peel, sandalwood and waxy furniture polish. On the palate, the whisky is velvety and soft with a lovely combination of notes - rich sweet caramel, raisins, plenty of dried orange, nuts (imagine walnuts) and wood spice (think of cinnamon). The finish is long and sweet with the cinnamon putting in a good appearance. A great example of a sherry cask matured whisky.

Dalmore King Alexander III
Dalmore have produced this limited edition that contains whiskies that have been matured in no less than six different styles of cask - bourbon, Madeira, marsala, Port, red wine and sherry. It is named to commemorate the ancestor's of the local Mackenzie clan who rescued King Alexander III from bandits in 1293. This is one hell of a complex whisky - the colour is a dark reddish amber and the nose is rich and sweet. There are distinct notes of caramel, dried fruit (think of raisins, sultanas and candied orange peel), almonds, wood spice (cinnamon especially) and dark espresso coffee. The palate is rich and silky with plenty of caramel, dried fruit and orange up front. Notes of nutmeg spice, coffee, dark chocolate, almonds, cereal grains, fudge and chilli join to create huge complexity. The finish is soft, sweet and very enjoyable. Cracking stuff but very rich.

Longrow 14 years old
Longrow is produced for roughly one month of the year at the cult Springbank distillery in the Campbeltown region of Scotland. It has a much higher peat level than regular Springbank and therefore is much smokier in character. This 14 years old is pale in colour and the nose is light and fresh with a lovely mix of fresh green apple, vanilla, dried grass and earthy peat smoke (imagine damp moss). The palate feels richer with some initial sweet vanilla and obvious smoky peat (think of damp earth, moss and iodine). The iodine note gives a bitter edge to the sweetness and has a hint of disinfectant to it. Further grassiness (think of straw or hay) comes through and leads through to an enjoyable and decently long finish. The smokiness is more ashy on the finish. A very good and very drinkable dram.

Millstone Dutch single malt
Dutch whisky, I hear you cry! Yes, indeed - this single malt is produced at the Zuidam distillery in the town of Baarle Nassau, to the west of Eindhoven. The distillery was founded in 1974 and is run by father and son Fred and Patrick van Zuidam. Initially they produced various spirits including genever gin and vodka, with whisky being first made in 1998. They currently produce 20,000 litres of whisky per year. This whisky has no age stated and is light and delicate on the nose. There is plenty of cereal grains here with some vanilla and honey also. A whiff of raw spirit is evident but not off putting. The palate is again light with a pleasant combination of grain (lots), nuts (think of almonds and coconut), some grassiness (imagine hay), honey, vanilla and a hint of nutmeg-like spice. The finish is short and sweet. Interesting stuff and interesting to try.

Miyagikyo 10 years old
Miyagikyo is located on the eastern coast of Japan's main island of Honshu to the north of Tokyo and it was founded in 1969 by the Nikka Corporation. Miyagikyo's whiskies have won many awards in recent years around the globe. We had never tried any Miyagikyo ... until Whisky Live that is! The colour is golden and the nose is soft, sweet and almost understated. There is a lovely mix of vanilla, caramel, honey and something floral. On the palate, it feels silky and smooth with a pleasant creaminess that incorporates those elements from the nose with some woody spices (think of cinnamon and nutmeg), toffee and earthy ginger. The finish is drier than the palate and is oaky and spicy in nature. Top stuff.

Nikka 'Taketsuru' Pure Malt 17 years old
This is another whisky produced by the Nikka Corporation. It is a vatting made from single malts (hence the name Pure Malt) from both of their distilleries - Miyagikyo and Yoichi. Yoichi distillery is located on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and was founded by Masataka Taketsuru (who lends his name to this whisky) in 1934. This makes it Japan's second oldest whisky distillery behind Yamazaki. This Pure Malt has an expressive nose with an interesting combination of aromas - vanilla, malty cereal grains, dried grasses, orange oil and just a whiff of earthy peat. The palate is soft, smooth, creamy and velvety with the vanilla, grains and orange oil particularly prominent. The cereal grains add a pleasant bitterness to the other sweeter elements. The finish is drier than expected and is slightly spicier (think of ginger and nutmeg) and smokier (imagine bonfire ash).

Scapa 16 years old
The Scapa distillery is located in the Orkney islands and this bottling was released a couple of years ago, to replace a 14 years old in their small core range. The low production capacity dictates that Scapa whiskies are hard to find but are highly sought after and regarded. The colour of this whisky is a vibrant gold and the nose is delicious. There is plenty of vanilla, coconut and hazelnuts and these are carried through to the creamy, velvety palate. The combination of flavours that come through on the palate is fantastic - hazelnut praline, some milk chocolate, vanilla, coconuts and a hint of fresh peach. It feels very soft and sumptuous. The finish is fairly short but expressive with the coconut and hazelnut elements particularly prominent. An absolutely lovely and well made dram.

Van Winkle Rye whiskey
One of the few American rye whiskies at the show this year so it was an opportunity not to be turned down. Van Winkle was founded by Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle Snr in 1893 and is now operated by the fourth generation of his family (one of these, Preston Van Winkle, was at the show). The company's range of whiskey is made at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky and follows strict secretive recipes that have been handed down. This whiskey is dark amber and has an intense nose. It is packed with plenty of orange (think of candied peel or marmalade), vanilla, cereals (think of the bitter husks especially) and coconut. On the palate, it is equally intense with the plenty of wood spice (imagine nutmeg and cinnamon) joining the orange, vanilla, cereal grains and coconut from the nose. The combination is fantastic with the rye cereals adding a lovely bitter edge to the sweetness. The finish is long and spicy. A cracker of a dram!

Wild Geese Irish whiskey
The Wild Geese are a range of Irish whiskies that are bottled and distributed by an independent company. These whiskies are produced to a specific recipe at the Cooley distillery and are available in 38 countries around the world. The name of the range is taken from the name given to Irish soldiers who fought in various European wars in the 17th and 18th centuries - they were known as 'wild geese'. Three whiskies were available for tasting at the show - two blends and one single malt.

First up is the Rare Irish, one of the blends. This is very light and pale lemon in colour and the nose is delicate (lemon zest, vanilla and rose petals). The palate is equally light and has a fresh vibrancy to it. Delicate flavours such as vanilla, honey, malty cereals and zingy lemon are present. The finish is short and crisp. Next up is the Fourth Centennial, a limited edition blend containing some older whiskies. This is richer with a combination of vanilla, cereals (imagine porridge oats), wood spice (think of nutmeg) and a lemony tang on the nose. The palate exhibits similar characteristics but has more nutmeg spice and the vanilla is sweeter and more reminiscent of marzipan. The finish is of decent length and is drier and oaky. Finally, the Single Malt. The nose is fresh with plenty of vanilla, coconut and cereal grains. On the palate it is light and refreshing with the elements from the nose being joined by some toffee, a hint of earthy peat smoke and some peppery spices. The finish is sweet and enjoyable.

Whisky Live 2010, London - New whiskies & show exclusives

Whisky Live is an event that showcases the diverse world of whisky to the general public. The phenomena has spread around the globe and annual shows are now held in locations such as North America, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and across mainland Europe. Whisky Live has two events in the UK - one in London and the other in Glasgow. They are the biggest whisky shows in the UK and this year's London show was held over last weekend.

The venue was the Hurlingham Club, a prestigious members only club on the leafy banks of the River Thames (it's very posh and remains the only place that we have ever seen anyone playing croquet!) and this year's event marked the 10th anniversary of Whisky Live in London. We were both in attendance for both days of the show - Matt doing his 'day job' selling whisky to people and Karen doing her 'favourite hobby' ... drinking whisky! Between us, we sampled plenty of whisky and decided to split the reviews in to two parts. Many exhibitors use Whisky Live as a platform to showcase forthcoming releases so in this first part, we are concentrating on these new releases and other special Whisky Live bottlings that were on offer. A second part that reviews the other whiskies sampled will follow shortly.

Compass Box DecadenceCompass Box is a boutique whisky producer who buy casks and then blend them to create their own unique range of whiskies. Decadence is a very limited release that was created especially for Whisky Live and to celebrate Compass Box's 10th anniversary (Decade-nce ... do you get it?). Only 15 litres was produced (a lot of which was consumed the night before at a gala dinner, by the sounds of it!) and it was only available to sample. No bottles will be released. It has a high grain whisky content (around 60%) and this comes through on a rich nose that is packed with cereals and sweet vanilla. This carries through to the palate which has sweet caramel, dried fruits (think of sultanas and peel), a herbal grassy note (imagine dried grasses) and spicy cinnamon. The finish is long, rich and slightly peppery. Lovely stuff.

Evan Williams 10 years old Whisky Live Special
A special Whisky Live edition of just 162 bottles. Evan Williams is an American bourbon that is currently made at the Heaven Hill distillery in Kentucky. It is produced using one of the oldest bourbon recipes in existence and was started by Welsh settler Evan Williams in 1783. This show release costs £45, is bottled from a single cask and is cask strength (a whopping 63.9% ABV!). The nose is powerful and full of rich vanilla, coconut and oranges. On the palate, this is rounded and very big - there is plenty of those elements from the nose and these are joined by some bitter cereal notes and woody spice (think of cinnamon especially). The finish is long, drying and aromatic. Adding water softens things and makes it easier to drink, with the sweetness becoming more caramel-like and the orange becoming more prominent (imagine marmalade). Lovely, rich and spicy whisky.

Glen Moray Port Wood 
This whisky is a new limited release from the much under rated Speyside distillery of Glen Moray (OK, it was released just before Christmas but who is counting?). It is bottled at 56.7% ABV and has been matured for 13 years in ex-bourbon casks before having a year in a Port cask. Only 725 bottles are available and they cost £50 each. The nose is rich and sumptuous with a lovely mix of caramel, stewed fruits (imagine plums and apples) and woody spice (nutmeg and cinnamon bark). On the palate, the whisky is well balanced and easy drinking considering the cask strength ABV. The caramel, stewed fruits and spices are still there but it feels more sugary with a peppery edge. Some nuts (think of hazelnuts) come through on the long, rich finish. An excellent dram. Well worth a try if you can get your hands on some.

Hakushu Heavily Peated
This Japanese whisky is not being released until June, so it was a real treat to get to sample it. Hakushu means 'forest distillery' in Japanese and it is located on a forest plateau directly west of Tokyo. This limited edition is the peatiest Hakushu to date (the regular 12 years old has a hint of peatiness to it). The colour is light and the nose is fragrant and potent - there is obvious earthy peat smoke backed up by some lovely caramel, fresh green fruits (think of pears and apples), dried grass and a whiff of citrus (lemon zest especially). The palate is firstly hit with tangy peat smoke (imagine damp moss and twigs) and then the caramel, fruit, grass and citrus from the nose. There is also subtle cereals and some spice (think of peppercorns and nutmeg). The finish is long with the slightly bitter smoke building up and lingering for ages.

Highland Park 10 years old Whisky Live Special
Another exclusive bottling and it was released to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the London Whisky Live show. This offering from the Highland Park distillery on the Orkney islands consisted of just 600 bottles, is 59.3% ABV cask strength and was specially selected by eminent whisky writer Dave Broom. This whisky has a deep amber colour and a lovely fragrant nose that is packed with dried fruit (think of raisins and sultanas), caramel and soft sweet peat smoke. On the palate, this is impressive with soft, slightly bitter smoke mixing with the sweeter dried fruit and caramel elements. There is also some candied orange peel, brown sugar, peppery spice and heather present. The finish is long and enjoyable. Adding water, softened the spices and made it more buttery and toffee-like. A fantastic dram worthy of an anniversary.

Springbank 12 years old Claret WoodThis whisky was making its first ever appearance to the general public, as it is not to be released for another month or so. Springbank bottled some especially for Whisky Live. Springbank is a distillery located on the Campbeltown peninsula in western Scotland and has a cult following around the world. This release will consist of 9360 bottles, is bottled at 54.4% ABV and has matured for 9 years in ex-bourbon casks before transferring to French Claret wine casks for 3 years. The colour is amber with a reddish hue and the nose is rich and fruity. The palate is fresh, smooth and sweet with plenty of juicy red fruit (think of red berries and plums) underpinned by vanilla, caramel and wood spice notes (imagine cinnamon and nutmeg). The finish is drier, spicier (more nutmeg) and very enjoyable. A staff favourite among those on The Whisky Shop stand.

Tomatin 21 years oldTomatin is a little known but well regarded distillery that lies in the foot hills of the Grampian mountains to the south of Inverness. The brand has undergone a major revamp over the last year and this limited edition will briefly join its new look range. This 21 years old has yet to be released, is bottled at 52% ABV and is restricted to 2500 bottles. The nose has an interesting combination of aromas - vanilla, cereal grains, dried grass and a whiff of earthy ginger. On the palate, this feels creamy and velvety with vanilla and cereals mixing well with a distinct nutty note (think of a creamy nut like almond or hazelnut). Then comes dried grass and some nutmeg spice with just a hint of that ginger again. The finish is lovely and soft with the the nutty note prominent and reminiscent of hazelnut praline. A top quality and well made dram.

Tomatin 25 years old Another new addition to the Tomatin range that replaces the old 25 years old. It has new packaging and a slightly different combination of casking. The nose is vibrant and stunning with a great combination of vanilla, cereals and prominent tropical fruits (think of coconut, peach and mango). On the palate, this is creamy and fresh ( a hard thing to achieve in older whiskies) with the almost exaggerated aromas of the nose becoming more subtle and understated. All the 'nose' elements are there - vanilla, cereals, coconut, peach, mango - and these combine beautifully with some ginger and nutmeg spice. The finish is lovely but slightly short. This dram is enjoyable and very, very good.

Yamazaki Puncheon Cask
Another Japanese whisky from the Suntory company (Hakushu is owned by them as well) and this is also due for a limited release in June - only 3000 bottles, according to the chap on the stand. Yamazaki is Japan's oldest distillery, having opened in 1923 and continues to win accolades for their innovative approach and whiskies. This has been matured in huge Puncheon bourbon casks and the nose is aromatic but delicate. There is a wonderful mix of cereal grains, vanilla, coconut and a hint of cocoa. The palate is just as delicate but vibrant and fresh, with the creamy vanilla and coconut prominent. To this, add some more cereals, a citric tang (think of lemon zest), sweet crumbly brown sugar and that hint of cocoa again. The finish is fresh and tangy, becoming dry towards the end. An excellent whisky and a real star of the show!

Have just tried ... St. George's new spirit

St. George's is the first English whisky distillery to be built and producing whisky for almost 200 years. The distillery is located in the heart of East Anglia, close to the town of Roudham in Norfolk. The English Whisky Company was founded in 2005 by Andrew and James Nelstrop and construction of the new facilities began shortly after. The first spirit came off the stills in November 2006 under the guidance of the legendary master distiller Iain Henderson, who had previously managed Laphroaig on the island of Islay. As whisky cannot legally be named 'whisky' until it has been matured for three years, the first full release date is pencilled in for December this year. However, if you visit the distillery and take a tour then you will get to try some of the new or partially matured spirit as part of this. The first full release of whisky will be very limited so when we got the chance to try a sample at the recent Whisky Live event in London, we had to take it.

All St. George's spirit is matured in bourbon casks that have previously been used at the Jim Beam distillery in Kentucky, USA. They currently are producing and maturing both a peated and unpeated version of their whisky. The sample we tried has been matured for 18 months and the colour is a pale lemon. The nose is very promising and is full of juicy, crisp fruit (think of pears and apples). Pears and pear drops are common aromas that can indicate young spirit and they mellow and mingle with other flavours, as the spirit draws more influence from its cask over time. On the palate, this is young and bold with those juicy fruits combining with some vanilla, caramel and an interesting spicy note (imagine white pepper). As the alcohol strength is high (62.5% ABV), we decided to try it with water. It was described to us as "becoming like a good Glenlivet" with water and while I am not quite sure about that, it certainly was very clean, enjoyable and became creamier in the mouth. The finish was quite long for a young spirit with loads of buttery vanilla. This really has great potential and we can't wait to see what that first release will be like. It is clear that the spirit has quality and it is not raw or blasting your nose and palate with alcohol, as many young or new spirits do.

Whisky Live 2009, London - Day 2

Day two at London's Whisky Live was a sell out with over 1000 tickets sold. Again, both of us at Whisky For Everyone were working at the event. So here are some of our tasting highlights that we managed to sneak off and try ...

An Cnoc 30 years old
This whisky produced one of my 'Wow' moments at this years event. Distilled in 1975 and bottled in 2005, it is the oldest whisky released in the An Cnoc range produced at the Knockdhu distillery. It has been partly matured in sherry casks and then transferred into bourbon casks. The complexity of this whisky is evident even from smelling it. The rich golden colour is complimented with a sumptuous nose that is full of vanilla, butterscotch (or toffee, I couldn't decide) and rich dried fruit (think of raisins, sultanas and candied orange peel). The whisky explodes on your palate and is incredibly rich and smooth. The buttery vanilla and sweet malted barley combine well with that dried fruit and a hint of spice (imagine nutmeg). The finish is long, smooth and elegant. A truly great dram!

Caperdonich 38 years old from Duncan Taylor
One of the oldest whiskies on offer at the show. This 38 years old bottling from mothballed Speyside distillery Caperdonich has been released by the independent bottling company, Duncan Taylor. The colour is dark and the nose has a distinct burnt caramel element to it. It has sweetness but with that slightly bitter edge. Underneath this is vanilla, some dried fruits (think of apricots) and a hint of menthol. On the palate this feels dry, oaky and slightly bitter. There is lots of that vanilla and burnt sugary element again. It is surprisingly light for a whisky of this age and the finish is quite short with a pleasant earthy note present.

Glenmorangie Signet
The opportunity to try expensive whiskies from some of Scotland's most famous distilleries does not come around very often, so we had to take it! Glenmorangie Signet is the epitamy of modern whisky styling with its plush case and extravagant bottle but more importantly, is the whisky actually any good? The process used to produce Signet is slightly different as some of the malted barley used is called 'chocolate malt'. This malt has been dried for longer than usual and then roasted to produce a dark grain that is then put throught the production process in the regular way. Here Glenmorangie have put some of this 'chocolate malt' whisky together with some older regular whiskies to produce Signet. The nose tempts you to try the whisky (as it should!) and is packed with interest - vanilla, spices (think of nutmeg) and some of those roasted qualities that reminded me of espresso coffee. The palate is rich, creamy and again full of character. There is lots of vanilla again but there is a pleasant slight bitterness that must be coming from the roasted malt (think of dark chocolate and coffee beans). The finish is very well balanced with all the elements combining and a interesting hint of heather that we detected coming through. We have our answer ... the whisky is good! Very very good.

Glenmorangie Sonnalta
Another offering from Glenmorangie, this time in the form of a sneak preview of their new whisky that will be exclusive to the travel retail/Duty Free market. Released for the first time at the end of March, it is the first whisky in the 'Private Collection' series that is going to be exclusive to that retail sector. The story is that the whisky has been matured for 10 years in their regular American oak casks and then transferred into specially selected Pedro Ximinez sherry casks from Spain and matured for a further year. When you put your nose to this, it smells extremely promising. Vanilla is there in abundance as is some sweet malted barley, but they are joined by a more sugary sweet fruitiness (think of dried fruits especially raisins, candied citrus peel) that must be coming from that Pedro Ximinez cask (PX is one of the darkest, thickest and sweetest sherries). On the palate this is full bodied and creamy, yet explodes on your tongue. An intense but pleasant sugary burst hits the front of your tongue and dies slowly to reveal those elements from the nose. Strange as it sounds, there is a tropical element to this (something like mango or papaya, I'm not sure) and this carries on to the finish, which is just as intensely sweet and fruity as the nose and palate. Another 'Wow' moment and we seriously hope it is out by the time we travel at the end of this month so we can grab ourselves a bottle. Quality stuff.

Hibiki 12 years old
The Hibiki 17 years old is an multi award winning whisky from the Suntory company of Japan. This 12 years old, which has yet to be released in the UK, therefore has a lot to live up to! Whereas the 17 years old is dark with sherry cask influence, this is much lighter and fresher. This is fragrant on the nose and the fruitiness is fresh rather than dried fruit (think of stone fruits like cherries and plums). There is also a hint of a peppery spiciness (imagine white pepper). The palate is refreshing and light with lots of those fresh juicy fruit notes present (especially the plums). It has a crisp, short finish that makes your mouth water and want to drink some more! A very promising whisky that we later discovered was partly matured in a Japanese plum liqueur cask, which explains that fruitiness that is present.

Laphroaig 21 years old 'Old Malt Cask'
'Old Malt Cask' are a range of whiskies from the independent bottlers Douglas Laing & Co. They select casks from numerous distilleries around Scotland and within this range release just a single cask at 50% ABV, therefore limiting the amount of bottles available. This whisky from the iconic Islay distillery Laphroaig is light in colour for something of this age. It is quite woody on the nose (think of oak) with vanilla and an ashy smokiness (imagine a bonfire). There is a more rounded creaminess on the palate with the vanilla, pleasant sweet malted barley and that woody ashy smoke all mingling well. Maybe, there is just a hint of some spice coming through as well (something warm like ginger?). The smoke burns away for ages making the finish long but it gets slightly bitter right at the end.

Mackmyra Special 01
The first in a planned series of whiskies from Swedish distillery Mackmyra. They are one of the world's most innovative distilleries and the idea behind this new series is that they have created "a drink for special occasions and sharing wth special people". The Special 01 has been matured in sherry casks hand selected from Jerez in Spain. No age is stated but it is clearly young. The colour is a very pale lemon and on the nose with the aroma of peardrops present (a classic smell to identify a young whisky). It is light, herbal (think of grasses) and citrusy (imagine lemon zest). On the palate, this is very zingy (almost aggressive) but once you get over this the dried fruitiness that you expect from sherry cask maturation does come through. Overall, it is light and quite refreshing. What else will be in this series?

Yamazaki 18 years old
The oldest whisky in the core range of Japan's oldest distillery, Yamazaki. It is a whisky that has started to pick up awards around the world over the last two years and even though we have tried it before, we just had to try it again! The nose is rich and full of dried fruits (imagine raisins and sultanas), burnt dark sugar and an almost overpowering citrus note (I know it sounds strange but think of orange marmalade). This richness does not quite convert to the palate, which is lighter but still very complex. Some spiciness is present (think of cinnamon), along with just the slightest hint of peat smoke. The finish is long and enjoyable with the orange citrus notes particularly prominent. An excellent whisky that was worth the re-visit.

Whisky Live 2009, London - Day 1

The Whisky Live event was staged at the prestigious Hurlingham Club in London on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 February. Both of us at Whisky For Everyone were on official duty for both of the days (in other words, we had to work there for our respective companies!!). However, we still had the opportunity to taste some of the whiskies that were on offer at the show, including some new or as yet unreleased drams. So here goes with a few of our highlights from day one.

Balblair 1975
This is the oldest whisky in the current core range of Balblair, a north Highland distillery that is attracting much attention following the winning of a couple of major awards in 2008. The nose is full of dried fruit (imagine raisins and sultanas), intense citrus (think of candied orange peel) and some peaty smokiness burning away. The smokiness was unexpected but marries together with the other elements well to give a sumptuous, full bodied whisky. There is also a warm spiciness on the palate (like ginger) and the finish is long and enjoyable. A very good whisky indeed.

Glendronach 18 years old
This is a sweet and malty whisky from one of the lesser known Speyside distilleries. Glendronach are launching this 18 years old shortly, along with a new 15 years old, as they expand the core range. This has a lot of sherry cask influence with dried fruitiness (think of sultanas and peel especially), sweet malted barley and some woodiness on the nose. The palate was thinner than the richness of the nose suggested. The dried fruit and barley combined well to give a pleasant whisky, although the finish was quite short, woody and slightly bitter.

Glendronach 33 years old
After 33 years maturing in a sherry cask, this whisky is dark and complex. It forms the oldest part of Glendronach's range, with limited batches released each year. The nose is packed with dried fruit (imagine raisins), woody oak (think of vanilla and warm spices like nutmeg) and dark burnt sugar. The palate is rich and even more complex with some more warm spice (imagine ginger this time) and an unexpected mossy smokiness in the background. The finish is long with that burnt sugar and smokiness hanging around. A very rounded whisky for those with expensive taste!

Mackmyra 1st Edition
First edition was the first official release from Swedish distillery Mackmyra and follows a series of six experimental bottlings called the Preludium. The initial batch sold out in Sweden within hours, so having enjoyed a couple of the Preludium series we had to see what all the fuss was about. It has been matured in roasted Swedish oak casks and a distinct toasted nuttiness comes through on the nose (think of almonds or hazelnuts). On the palate, the nuttiness is present and joined by vanilla, some crisp green fruit (imagine pears and apples), honey and a zingy citrus note (think of lemon zest). The finish is short but interestingly a hint of smoke drifts in. This is a young whisky but has complexity beyond its years and continues to show Mackmyra's whisky making potential.

Old Pulteney 21 years old
The oldest whisky currently available from the reknowned Old Pulteney distillery in the north Highlands. This 21 years old has won awards around the world and the colour is a rich gold. The nose indicates some of the richness that will come on the palate. There is lots of vanilla and malted barley, some sweetness (think of honey) and a hint of something floral (imagine heather). The palate does not disappoint and is rich and creamy, with all of the elements above combining to give great complexity. Some warm spices are also present (think of ginger and nutmeg). The finish is quite dry compared to the nose and palate with just a hint of that Old Pulteney saltiness coming through. Truly great stuff.

Scapa 16 years old
This latest release from Scapa on the Orkney Islands is planned to replace the popular 14 years old in the core range. As they have positioned this at a higher price point, it was a must try to see if it was worth their gamble. The colour is golden and the nose is sweet with lots of vanilla, toffee (it is almost fudgy!), malted barley and dried fruit (think of sultanas and candied peel) present. This is rich, creamy and thick in your mouth with butter, toffee and vanilla particularly prominent. There is a lovely warm honey note and a hint of some cinnamon also. The finish is long, creamy and rich again but slightly on the dry side. Not greatly different from the 14 years old but still pretty nice stuff.

Springbank 18 years old
The eagerly anticipated limited new release from the cult distillery in Campbeltown. This is expected to sell out fast when it is released at the end of March. The nose is very promising with some gorgeous sherry dried fruit combining with some sweet malted barley and a hint of something slightly musty (like and old, dusty book). On the palate, this is slightly lighter than expected but the dried fruits and barley remain prominent. There is a pleasant bitter edge (think of burnt sugar or caramel) as well as a zesty citrus freshness that lifts the whole palate. The finish was slightly disappointing and short with just the smallest whiff of smoke present. Overall, a decent whisky.

Van Winkle 12 years old
One of the few bourbons at the show this year. Van Winkle is a fourth generation company whose range of whiskey is made at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky, America and follows strict secretive recipes that have been handed down since the late 1800s. Their unique combination of corn, wheat and barley produces a softer spirit that is more condusive to longer aging than other bourbons, who use rye instead of the wheat. This smells like a fruity Christmas cake with some coconut and vanilla thrown in. It is warming on the palate with that vanilla and coconut prominent. It feels creamy in the mouth and the finish is long with some warm spicy notes coming through (think of nutmeg or cinnamon). Very smooth, very easy drinking and very good.

Van Winkle 23 years old 'Pappy's Family Reserve'
A very limited release that is named after the founder - Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle Snr. Only around 1500 bottles are released each year (the next batch is coming out in late Spring) and bourbons of this age are difficult to find. This was an opportunity not to be turned down! This is one rich, creamy and complex bourbon. The nose is full of woody oakiness, vanilla, citrus (imagine dried orange peel), coconut and warm spices (think of nutmeg). On the palate, these elements combine exceptionally well and the finish goes on and on. It is not too woody or bitter as some old bourbons can be. Excellent whiskey - one of the Whisky Live 'Wow' moments.