Friday, March 15, 2013
Friday, August 29, 2008
Scotch Pirates of the Caribbean
So I went off to St. Vincent and The Grenadines.
And there, seemingly lost in Davy Jones'Locker, I found an amazing single malt, with a whole lot of history attached to it. And it was such a Singlemalt that it intermingles perfectly with the history of St. Vincent.
It is a fact that if you go to most English-speaking Caribbean nations, you will find quite nice selections of Single Malt, because of some very interesting reasons. You would think that Scottish Pirates had something to do with developing the market and taste for Single Malt accross the blue Caribbean sea, and you would be partly right but, then again, you would also be wrong.
So if you are parched and thirsty, how do you go about finding special Single Malts with little effort when stranded in a tropical island in the Caribbean?
The secret to prying them from Davy Jones' cold hand, is to follow the footsteps of the Portuguese. The Portuguese that came to the Caribbean all the way from the Island of Madeira, that is.
How is that, you ask?
Well, Portugal's Madeira Island is situated some 700 Kms off the northern coast of Africa (in front of Morroco) and it is as modern as any other european region, boasting engineering marvels such as modern highways tunneled throughout the rocky island, and an airport which stretches from the island into land claimed from the sea at a height of about five stories above sea level.
Pharaonic like colums-notice the scale of the cranes houses and highrises.
The airport is a true marvel of engineering, in the 1970's the short airport of back then caused Portugal's most tragic accident when one airplane could not stop in time and plummeted downwards at the end of the runway.
Madeira's lifestyle is of European quality today, But this was not the case always, and starting a little bit more than a hundred years ago, many a madeiran left the then impoverished island and went off seeking better fortune to Venezuela, and Brasil, and of all places, many a caribbean island. The difference was that the Venezuelan and Brasilian migrations from Madeira are very large and quite recent, but the first Madeirans who came to the English Caribbean arrived at the beginning of last century, and some of them came as indentured servants.
But even indentured, they knew about wines and they knew about trading in spirits because, You see, since centuries before the incorporation of Portugal to the European Union in the Nineteen Eighties, Madeira had boasted of being home to several drinkable marvels of biochemical engineering. Madeira Wines such as Boal, Sercial, Verdelho and Barbeito have been traded for centuries, quite successfully throughout the world, mostly by Englishmen.
So, after the end of Slavery in the British Colonies, it was not so strange that the English traders on Madeira Wines, with cousins and relations who traded sugar and spices from the Caribbean and who were in need of a steady work force, might have been instrumental in the arrival of Madeirans to these sunny and tropical islands. And these Madeirans not only came with superb work ethics, but some of them also came with knowledge of trade and more importantly, of trade in spirits.
And so you might come to the Caribbean and if you are in search of a good Single Malt or a nice selection of fine wines, then you must look for a trader with a portuguese last name, or a similarly named shop, and you will find what you are looking for, or something in that category. For Example in Trinidad, you may direct yourself to Fernandes-Purveyors of fine Wines and Spirits. Sadly they do not trade on single Malts, but you already know that there is a nice Cache of aging Blackadders writhing in Trinidad's Piarco Airport, anyway.
As for me, while in Saint Vincent, I decided to follow the steps of the portuguese and I found an amazing, and very inexpensive Single Malt in downtown Kingstown at the aptly named Gonsalves Liquors, which has a duty-free liquor store at the E.T. Joshua Airport also, offering a wide selection of imported wines, spirits and liqueurs, stored in their temperature controlled cellars. And at Gonsalves' I found an outstanding Single Barrel-15 years old-Bottled by Hand-Balvenie, at the delightful price of 130 Eastern Caribbean Dollars, which is some 27 British Pounds, or a mere 50 USD. An excellent price from my point of view.
Please notice the clear gold color of this Balvenie, which is consistent with single cask scotch wiskies. Furthermore notice that this was bottle No. 22 drawn from cask No. 214. This Scotch was put in cask on 01/03/91 and was bottled fifteen years later on 02/08/06, by hand by the scottish souls which took the trouble of writing the No. 22 in the bottle. Bless their Hearts. 
As soon as I arrived to my hotel after purchasing the bottle, I opened it and had a couple of drams (The fluid dram is defined as 1⁄8 of a fluid ounce, Dram is also used informally to mean a small amount of liquid, especially Scotch whisky). The 15 Yrs old was delicate and delicious. It lived to my expectations and was a great buy. Afterwards, I went off to take the small ferry that would take me to lunch in Young Island's resort, which sits a good 1500 feet from the hotel I was Staying in. In the way over to the ferry I was approached by a cool Rastaman named Ian, who offered his boat The "Rumors" for charter. We stroke a two day deal and the next day he picked me up at the beach infront of my hotel and was to take me to the set where they filmed Pirates of the Caribbean. The very set where Capatain Jack Sparrow makes his entrance atop the mast of a sinking lifeboat. It just so happens that the set still stands and is in somewhat nice condition still. On the way to the set we went into the shipyard where they built the Black Pearl and once close to the set you may see the gallows where they tried to hang Jack Sparrow. Now the added surprise to the whole thing was that as I was climbing into the boat infront of my hotel, Ian the Rastaman tells me that he has invited three British female doctors in their twenties to join us. And off we went into the open sea. 
Once in the set of Pirates of the Caribbean, we had a small encounter with the Excise Men. It was just fitting, there I am with a bottle of Single Malt, very far in time and space from the scottish distillers who were running from the King's Excise Men. Later on, I guess the Government's customs had to appear inevitably in the sights of buccaneers and pirates, and today tourists are no exception. Here you see the Rasta Ship Rumors, Chartered by Yours Truly being besieged by SVG Customs. The Customs officials were so very interested in our cargo that while having Single Malt and Beers in the restaurant by the set, one of the officers came about stealthily and sat down by us, and I suppose did not feel like asking for papers when he heard the British English spoken by the Girls and the Working Class American spoken by me. They were quite familiar with the Captain of The Rumors, as he had been taken to shore a couple of days before for transporting undocumented colombian citizens. At least that is what he told us. 
Here you see the undisputably beautiful, impecable, interesting, and so very Pre-Raphaelite Ella, with Mr Balvenie at her feet, as it could only be fitting for a good Scott to render himself a bondsman to unbriddled beauty, fitting indeed for Mr. Balvenie. 
So, as this entry sails into the sunset remember to look for the Portuguese trader in most caribbean islands, in order to find the good Single Malt, and I bid ye, me shivering maties, farewell, Godspeed, and above all, Cheers.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Tasting the Blackadder 1972 Glencadam 28 yrs old & the Blackadder Lochside 1981 Raw Cask
Well I owed my comments upon tasting these two wonderful malts.
Superb. Both Single Malts are Superb.
The Glencadam 28 yrs old. One of only 222 bottles from cask number 7633. Distilled 29 September 1972 and bottled September 2001 at 55.4%, matured in Oak Hogshead, no chill filtration & no colouring.
Has a pungent odor of rotting wood, sweet long lastin perfume, and evaporates fantastically in the pallate if you chose to consume small drops of it for that purpose. Great aftertaste, long lasting. Wonderful with a measure of water.
The Lochside 1981 Raw cask. One of only 314 bottles drawn at Cask Strength from a single Oak Hogshead No. 614. Distilled atl Lochside on 23 february 1981 and bottled in september 2001 at 59%. 59%. 59%.
I must recall from a past posting that at Lindores Whiskyfest – Belgium, 2007 – Part III in a Lochside Masterclass with Bert Bruyneel, a sister bottle of my 1981 was tasted, and these gentlemen concluded that:
Colour: light+. I must say it is TRUE.
Nose: rubber band, leather, unripe walnuts, light fresh fir notes
Taste: first spicy then strawberry, raspberry, later blood and iron
Finish: medium – long, ends in sourness, bitter and abrupt
And yet, the 59% of this Lochside 1981 is not felt, neither in the unexistant strong alcohol smell, nor in the palate, as this is a dry, extremely dry single malt. Will melt in your mouth, not in your hand, certainly, but has little aftertaste. Once watered it keeps on being a true delight.
For both Single Malts, three pieces of comment and advice:
1- They made my nose water rather quickly, since I chose for them to evaporate into my palate.
2- If you chose to inhale te vapors from your palate, the Lochside 1981 will make you cough. The Glencadam 1972 will go down heavenly.
3- They are extremely strong, since with half an ounce of each I got a quiet, stable, and delicious buzz. So if you plan to have a tasting, do it slow, and do it little by little, have plenty of water and neutral bread, as your guests may feel the impact in the short run otherwise.
Cheers,
Superb. Both Single Malts are Superb.
The Glencadam 28 yrs old. One of only 222 bottles from cask number 7633. Distilled 29 September 1972 and bottled September 2001 at 55.4%, matured in Oak Hogshead, no chill filtration & no colouring.
Has a pungent odor of rotting wood, sweet long lastin perfume, and evaporates fantastically in the pallate if you chose to consume small drops of it for that purpose. Great aftertaste, long lasting. Wonderful with a measure of water.
The Lochside 1981 Raw cask. One of only 314 bottles drawn at Cask Strength from a single Oak Hogshead No. 614. Distilled atl Lochside on 23 february 1981 and bottled in september 2001 at 59%. 59%. 59%.
I must recall from a past posting that at Lindores Whiskyfest – Belgium, 2007 – Part III in a Lochside Masterclass with Bert Bruyneel, a sister bottle of my 1981 was tasted, and these gentlemen concluded that:
Colour: light+. I must say it is TRUE.
Nose: rubber band, leather, unripe walnuts, light fresh fir notes
Taste: first spicy then strawberry, raspberry, later blood and iron
Finish: medium – long, ends in sourness, bitter and abrupt
And yet, the 59% of this Lochside 1981 is not felt, neither in the unexistant strong alcohol smell, nor in the palate, as this is a dry, extremely dry single malt. Will melt in your mouth, not in your hand, certainly, but has little aftertaste. Once watered it keeps on being a true delight.
For both Single Malts, three pieces of comment and advice:
1- They made my nose water rather quickly, since I chose for them to evaporate into my palate.
2- If you chose to inhale te vapors from your palate, the Lochside 1981 will make you cough. The Glencadam 1972 will go down heavenly.
3- They are extremely strong, since with half an ounce of each I got a quiet, stable, and delicious buzz. So if you plan to have a tasting, do it slow, and do it little by little, have plenty of water and neutral bread, as your guests may feel the impact in the short run otherwise.
Cheers,
Friday, July 18, 2008
Single Malts and Television: Sixteen Men of Tain starring on Two and a Half Men
Men, Men, Men, Men, Men, Manly Men, Men........
So says the theme song of the show called "Two and a Half Men", where producers Chuck Lorre and Lee Ahronson have combined Pretty in Pink's Molly Ringwald's unrequitted wanna be lover John Cryer, and Vietnam volunteer Ganja-Smoking Platoon warrior Charlie Sheen, as an odd-couple brother setup, whose lives girate around women and the endless wish to be with most of them.
In the show, Charlie Sheen is a successful TV Jingle writer, and a hedonistic womanizer who continually gets into one night stands while sporting major cases of drunkenness, and who manages to misteriously wake up with little impact the day after. Mind you, with little impact from both the multiple gorgeous women and from his liquid diet.
Women do not last, or hurt, in Charlie's life because of his mother issues. But who cares, he still lives the dream of the perpetual, and successful, bachelor....and he still gets drunk, really drunk with little hepatic hurtin'.
Perhaps his TV hangovers are not usually severe, due to the fact that Charlie mostly gets his liquid kicks from a wide array of Single Malts. Beer is everpresent and even an ocassional commercial multi grain whisky is about but Single Malt, kind as it is in the aftermath, is the drink of choice. No brands of Single Malts are fully shown, perhaps on account of US copyright and prime time TV laws, but to the watchful eye of collectors, there are sure confirmations of the recurrent presence of Single Malts in the show. We are able to recognize the shape of the bottles, and we are shown brief views of their labels in the distance or from such angles that only a glimmer is possible.
In one rerun which I saw today, Charlie was hoping to die, be killed, or at least drown the professional frustration of having been nominated for a prize to his jingle writing on seven different ocasions without ever winning. Charlie was feeling very much like the germans do after every final at the world football championship. But the Germans have Beer and Jaggermeister or Schnapps. Charlie has Single Malt, and so do I.
The invited Single Malt at the end of this particular episode was A Glenmorangie "Cellar 13" from The distillery that goes by the same name in Coy, Tain, Ross-Shire, Scotland IV19 1PZ (just in case you wish to write to them and give some work to the still quite reliant British Royal Mail).
Glenmorangie Cellar 13 is a Single Malt from a first fill cask from a Single Cellar, and according to the writing in its bottle and beautiful presentation box, it is "crafted from spirit matured for ten long years in first fill casks and has been selected specially from our 'Cellar 13' a low stone built and earthen flored warehouse on the shores of the Dornoch Firth...These casks accenturate the wonderful vanilla, butterscotch and honey notes of this exquisite Glenmorangie Malt". No reference is made in the bottle as far as age, date of distilling or of bottling, cask or hogshead number.
No caramel seems to have been added to this Single Malt, for its pale colouring of 14karat gold hues is much the likes of fine 'Reposado' tequilas. The bottle in the picture above is NOT empty. In fact it is a third full, but the color of this Single Malt is so light, that at full noon it shows only as golden hue. The Colour of Cellar 13 pales in comparison to that of other Glenmorangies, such as the Madeira Wood Finish one, which has a second fill maturation, and whose colour is described as that "of bright amber with a slight orange hue". Nevertheless, Given the color we can see in the picture above, it is obvious that some unknowning prop master from Two and a Half Men, decided to fill a possibly empty bottle with a liquid that amounted to this prop master's idea of a colour akin to whisky, probably using tea as substitute, since the contents of the bottle in the show were too dark and caramel-like to be a Cellar 13.
So, upon recognizing the bottle of the guest Single Malt in Two and a Half Men, I went to my 'Cuvee' and took my Glenmorangies out, because, Yes, I had at hand a Cellar 13 and a Madeira Wood Finish one. I must say that I agree with the taste notes of the Cellar 13, since I tasted it while I wrote this entry in the blog.
In respect to my opinion, what else could I do but agree with the taste notes and go along with the writing in the wall, or in the box in this case?. After all, the Tasting Notes have been written by the crafty and very handy Sixteen Men of Tain of whom Glenmorangie Distillery continually and rightfully boasts about...Allan Holdsworth Trio - The Sixten Men Of Tain - Warsaw 1998
And that is how Sixteen Men of Tain starred on Two and a half Men.
So Remember whenever you see Two and a Half Men, try to spot the guest Single Malt if the episode calls for its consumption. Hopefully you'll have no trouble recognizing it, since to the Single Malt fan, seeing Single Malts from afar is the equivalent of a pilot recognizing a city while flying over it, onlly by observing its skyline against the horizon.
For referential purposes, here are the Tasting Notes of the Cellar 13, and a video of the 5 steps to enjoying a tasting of Single Malt, straight from the Phd Master Distiller from Glenmorangie itself, courtesy of theimbiber.net:
Nose:
Intense creaminess with top notes of vanilla, toffee, and fudge, quickly followed by the sweetness of honey. With water, ag entle spiciness opnes up to reveal hints of cloves and cinammon, with the fragrance of the zest of orange peel and delicacy of lemon. A gentle whisper of wood-smoke completes a wonderfully complex nose.
Taste:
The immediate sweet flavour in the first contact envelopes the tongue and fulfills the expectation created by the nose. The taste of vanilla and fudge quickly develops to a fresh spiciness, lightly toasted with shades of dried fruits. The pleasing memory of bumbugs ghosts over the palate.
Finish:
The finish is more dry than sweet, with the presence of almonds, and vanilla lingering for some time.
Dr. Bill Mundsen, Master Distiller at Glenmorangie demonstrating 5 steps to discovering what is hidden in a Single Malt.
The only drawback of Glenmorangie, is in its official internet site. It seems to be very slow, although there is the possibility tht the net is slow as it usually gets in the Caribbean during storms, and we are in Hurricane season.
Cheers,
So says the theme song of the show called "Two and a Half Men", where producers Chuck Lorre and Lee Ahronson have combined Pretty in Pink's Molly Ringwald's unrequitted wanna be lover John Cryer, and Vietnam volunteer Ganja-Smoking Platoon warrior Charlie Sheen, as an odd-couple brother setup, whose lives girate around women and the endless wish to be with most of them.
In the show, Charlie Sheen is a successful TV Jingle writer, and a hedonistic womanizer who continually gets into one night stands while sporting major cases of drunkenness, and who manages to misteriously wake up with little impact the day after. Mind you, with little impact from both the multiple gorgeous women and from his liquid diet.
Women do not last, or hurt, in Charlie's life because of his mother issues. But who cares, he still lives the dream of the perpetual, and successful, bachelor....and he still gets drunk, really drunk with little hepatic hurtin'.
Perhaps his TV hangovers are not usually severe, due to the fact that Charlie mostly gets his liquid kicks from a wide array of Single Malts. Beer is everpresent and even an ocassional commercial multi grain whisky is about but Single Malt, kind as it is in the aftermath, is the drink of choice. No brands of Single Malts are fully shown, perhaps on account of US copyright and prime time TV laws, but to the watchful eye of collectors, there are sure confirmations of the recurrent presence of Single Malts in the show. We are able to recognize the shape of the bottles, and we are shown brief views of their labels in the distance or from such angles that only a glimmer is possible.
In one rerun which I saw today, Charlie was hoping to die, be killed, or at least drown the professional frustration of having been nominated for a prize to his jingle writing on seven different ocasions without ever winning. Charlie was feeling very much like the germans do after every final at the world football championship. But the Germans have Beer and Jaggermeister or Schnapps. Charlie has Single Malt, and so do I.
The invited Single Malt at the end of this particular episode was A Glenmorangie "Cellar 13" from The distillery that goes by the same name in Coy, Tain, Ross-Shire, Scotland IV19 1PZ (just in case you wish to write to them and give some work to the still quite reliant British Royal Mail).
Glenmorangie Cellar 13 is a Single Malt from a first fill cask from a Single Cellar, and according to the writing in its bottle and beautiful presentation box, it is "crafted from spirit matured for ten long years in first fill casks and has been selected specially from our 'Cellar 13' a low stone built and earthen flored warehouse on the shores of the Dornoch Firth...These casks accenturate the wonderful vanilla, butterscotch and honey notes of this exquisite Glenmorangie Malt". No reference is made in the bottle as far as age, date of distilling or of bottling, cask or hogshead number.
No caramel seems to have been added to this Single Malt, for its pale colouring of 14karat gold hues is much the likes of fine 'Reposado' tequilas. The bottle in the picture above is NOT empty. In fact it is a third full, but the color of this Single Malt is so light, that at full noon it shows only as golden hue. The Colour of Cellar 13 pales in comparison to that of other Glenmorangies, such as the Madeira Wood Finish one, which has a second fill maturation, and whose colour is described as that "of bright amber with a slight orange hue". Nevertheless, Given the color we can see in the picture above, it is obvious that some unknowning prop master from Two and a Half Men, decided to fill a possibly empty bottle with a liquid that amounted to this prop master's idea of a colour akin to whisky, probably using tea as substitute, since the contents of the bottle in the show were too dark and caramel-like to be a Cellar 13.
So, upon recognizing the bottle of the guest Single Malt in Two and a Half Men, I went to my 'Cuvee' and took my Glenmorangies out, because, Yes, I had at hand a Cellar 13 and a Madeira Wood Finish one. I must say that I agree with the taste notes of the Cellar 13, since I tasted it while I wrote this entry in the blog.
In respect to my opinion, what else could I do but agree with the taste notes and go along with the writing in the wall, or in the box in this case?. After all, the Tasting Notes have been written by the crafty and very handy Sixteen Men of Tain of whom Glenmorangie Distillery continually and rightfully boasts about...Allan Holdsworth Trio - The Sixten Men Of Tain - Warsaw 1998
And that is how Sixteen Men of Tain starred on Two and a half Men.
So Remember whenever you see Two and a Half Men, try to spot the guest Single Malt if the episode calls for its consumption. Hopefully you'll have no trouble recognizing it, since to the Single Malt fan, seeing Single Malts from afar is the equivalent of a pilot recognizing a city while flying over it, onlly by observing its skyline against the horizon.
For referential purposes, here are the Tasting Notes of the Cellar 13, and a video of the 5 steps to enjoying a tasting of Single Malt, straight from the Phd Master Distiller from Glenmorangie itself, courtesy of theimbiber.net:
Nose:
Intense creaminess with top notes of vanilla, toffee, and fudge, quickly followed by the sweetness of honey. With water, ag entle spiciness opnes up to reveal hints of cloves and cinammon, with the fragrance of the zest of orange peel and delicacy of lemon. A gentle whisper of wood-smoke completes a wonderfully complex nose.
Taste:
The immediate sweet flavour in the first contact envelopes the tongue and fulfills the expectation created by the nose. The taste of vanilla and fudge quickly develops to a fresh spiciness, lightly toasted with shades of dried fruits. The pleasing memory of bumbugs ghosts over the palate.
Finish:
The finish is more dry than sweet, with the presence of almonds, and vanilla lingering for some time.
Dr. Bill Mundsen, Master Distiller at Glenmorangie demonstrating 5 steps to discovering what is hidden in a Single Malt.
The only drawback of Glenmorangie, is in its official internet site. It seems to be very slow, although there is the possibility tht the net is slow as it usually gets in the Caribbean during storms, and we are in Hurricane season.
Cheers,
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Tally Ho!: The Blackadder and its Rare Single Malts
The saying in spanish goes: "The hare jumps from where you least expect it". And so it may be with rare single malts. 
Since before my oxford days, while visiting England in order to secure a spot in the University, I acquired the custom, pricy as it may be, of walking into Duty Free shops in airports, searching for the Single Malt section, taking a peek at their selectin and purchasing two of them at a time.
As in the case of any healthy habit fed on constant compromise, my single malt search habit has its rewards.
Case in point:
On wednesday I passed through Piarco Airport in Trinidad, and I went into the former British West Indies Airline's (Currently Caribbean Airlines) Sunjet Duty Free Shop. I searched for the Single Malt Section and on one of its bottom shelves, I found a single malt brand that goes by the name of Blackadder, and the name struck me as something oddly interesting.
You see, I am fan of Rowan Atkinson's Blackadder comedic series, as it was aired in the BBC some 20 years ago. In fact, I carry the whole 4 season video series in my Ipod, mainly for traversing through airport lounges with as little stress as possible. So the Blackadder brand certainly beckoned at me.
But there seemed to be somenthing odd about the bottled Blackadder. In the absence of a crafty and nifty box of its own the bottles seemed quite strange, standing about in the counter as mere non-russian vodka bottles would. Although these Blackadders all had a classic "Long Convict" shape, the glass was clear and the colouring of the malt seemed a little bland. Furthermore, the label had a sense of Pre-industrial era about it which helped to make the bottles look unsophisticated on the whole.
Little did I know......
Blackadder is a whisky bottler and dealer. I am not sure where it is located and if it does have a distillery of its own. I am sure that it is dedicated to purchasing eventual casks of single malt
from any scotch distillery, or from any individual party for that matter. Blackadder then proceeds to bottle the contents of the casks and to sell them. All the while, Blackadder especifies in each bottle the procedence of the spirit within, and that they DO NOT use Chill Filtration nor Colouring for bottling.
Such labeling would have been very helpful to Aladin while searching for his lamp, and it was helpful for me to decide on the purchase. As I read the writing in the bottle, I found myself staring at something of a first to me. That was not surprising, considering that the world of Single Malt is complex and varied, and that I must recognize that perhaps I am still among the uninitiated, in spite of being a single malt consumer and collector for more than 5 years.
Nevertheless, I decided to purchse the Blackadder 1981 RAW CASK, distilled at Lochside Distillery on 23rd February 1981. One of 314 bottles drawn at CASK STRENGTH from a Single Oak Hogshead No. 614, bottled at 59% Vol. by Blackadder in September 2001 (perhaps before 9/11).
Did you pay attention to this: a remarkable 59% Vol??? In my collection I only have one that superseeds it: Aberlour's A'bunadh, at an astonishing 59.6%. Must confess I have yet to try both, in separate days, clearly. The closest I have been to drinking that volume was an already finished Ardbeg Uigedail Bottle which stood at a 54.2% Vol. But it took me a full year to finish that one.
-RAW CASK?
They say that "Blackadder RAW CASK is carefully bottled as it is drawn from the cask retaining all its natural CASK SEDIMENTS as well as all its natural OILS and FATS thus ensuring the maximum possible NATURAL FLAVOUR in every bottle."
-CASK SEDIMENTS?
Yes, you see them at the bottom of the bottle. Black as tar and/or wood colour splinters and shavings.
-Price?
US $ 55 Dollars. It was on sale. Quite fair for a 2o yr old scotch, although no mention to age is done in the bottle.
At Lindores Whiskyfest – Belgium, 2007 – Part III in a Lochside Masterclass with Bert Bruyneel, a sister bottle of my 1981 was tasted, and these lucky gentlemen concluded that:
Colour: light+
Nose: rubber band, leather, unripe walnuts, light fresh fir notes
Taste: first spicy then strawberry, raspberry, later blood and iron
Finish: medium – long, ends in sourness, bitter and abrupt
Anyway, I went about my business and on Friday, while passing again by Piarco Airport I went back to the Duty Free shop to purchase another bottle, excitedly thinking that it was worth my while to have at least two out of those 314 RAW CASK bottles, eventhough someone in Whiskymag has commented that the sediments are an artificial effort by Blackadder to pass such Single Malts as specially bottled in a suppossedly original and ancient manner. Nevertheless, I went to pay the second bottle and with the bill I recieved a shock of having the bottle's price hiked in my face by US $25 more.
Little did I know.....
It was a different bottle. This one had a slightly different label and no sediments. It was a Blackadder NATURAL STRENGTH 28 Years Old Single Highland Malt Whisky, distilled at Glencadam Distillery on the 29th September 1972, Bottled by Blackadder at 55.4% Vol. on September 2001 (perhaps after 9/11).
-Price?
US $ 80. It was not on sale, but was probably a steal for one of the 222 bottles of 28 years old scotch from Cask Number 7633, which was distilled and bottled as mentioned before.
Glencadam Distillery?
Still running strong. They have offices in Angus, in London, and imagine.... in Shanghai. Glencadam was bottled for the first time commercially in 2005. Up until 2008, only one expression was made available for sale, Glencadam Highland Single Malt Aged 15 Years. It has planned to launch a younger expression during 2008. If this is so, my 1972 28 years old, is actually a rarity and therefore a bargain at US $ 80. There was another bottle in the shelf. I'll see if it is there next time I go through Piarco Airport.
Here is Glencadam:
http://www.glencadamdistillery.co.uk/glen/welcome.htm
Lochside Distillery?
Its production was suspended at the end of last century in 1992, and its bonded warehouses were demolished in 1999.
The people at Royalmilewhiskies.com state that Lochside distillery is "A now lost distillery and something of a hidden gem. The Lochside distillery in Montrose was the main malt in the McNab blend. The distillery which started out as Deuchar's Brewery, distilled whisky from 1957 until it was closed by owners, Allied distillers in 1992. Although the warehouses have been demolished, the distillery still stands on the corner on the way north out of Montrose. Mostly bottled by independent bottlers, Lochside single malt is not widely available. Described by Murray McDavid as "the Springbank of the East"".
A 13 years old LOCHSIDE 1991 Connoisseurs Choice, bottled at 47.3% Vol., carries a current price of £ 30.40 pounds. So I believe it was a good deal for me to have bought the 20 years old Blackadder Lochside RAW CASK 1981 bottled at 59% Vol. for the equivalent of only 27 British Pounds (US$ 55). I hope to not be mistaken to think so, as I am taking age and Volume as my parameters of reference.
How could I compare my 1981 and the 1991. With taste notes or by trying it. But I have not found notes for my 1981, so I will try it and tell you about it later. But the notes for the 1991 are as follows according to Gordon & MacPhail Tasting Notes:
Undiluted:
Nose: Sweet, scented, hint of camphor and a toastedmaltiness.
Palate: Sweet and spicy, malty notes again present.
Diluted:
Nose: Perfumed with nutty aromas, the sweetness isnow in the background.
Palate: Smoky initially with earthy/herbal notes.
Look for it at http://www.whiskycastle.co.uk/section.php/8/0
Finally, some of Blackadder's selection may be found in its internet site or at:
http://www.whiskycastle.co.uk/section.php/8/0
Cheers,
Since before my oxford days, while visiting England in order to secure a spot in the University, I acquired the custom, pricy as it may be, of walking into Duty Free shops in airports, searching for the Single Malt section, taking a peek at their selectin and purchasing two of them at a time.
As in the case of any healthy habit fed on constant compromise, my single malt search habit has its rewards.
Case in point:
On wednesday I passed through Piarco Airport in Trinidad, and I went into the former British West Indies Airline's (Currently Caribbean Airlines) Sunjet Duty Free Shop. I searched for the Single Malt Section and on one of its bottom shelves, I found a single malt brand that goes by the name of Blackadder, and the name struck me as something oddly interesting.
You see, I am fan of Rowan Atkinson's Blackadder comedic series, as it was aired in the BBC some 20 years ago. In fact, I carry the whole 4 season video series in my Ipod, mainly for traversing through airport lounges with as little stress as possible. So the Blackadder brand certainly beckoned at me.
But there seemed to be somenthing odd about the bottled Blackadder. In the absence of a crafty and nifty box of its own the bottles seemed quite strange, standing about in the counter as mere non-russian vodka bottles would. Although these Blackadders all had a classic "Long Convict" shape, the glass was clear and the colouring of the malt seemed a little bland. Furthermore, the label had a sense of Pre-industrial era about it which helped to make the bottles look unsophisticated on the whole.
Little did I know......
Blackadder is a whisky bottler and dealer. I am not sure where it is located and if it does have a distillery of its own. I am sure that it is dedicated to purchasing eventual casks of single malt
from any scotch distillery, or from any individual party for that matter. Blackadder then proceeds to bottle the contents of the casks and to sell them. All the while, Blackadder especifies in each bottle the procedence of the spirit within, and that they DO NOT use Chill Filtration nor Colouring for bottling.Such labeling would have been very helpful to Aladin while searching for his lamp, and it was helpful for me to decide on the purchase. As I read the writing in the bottle, I found myself staring at something of a first to me. That was not surprising, considering that the world of Single Malt is complex and varied, and that I must recognize that perhaps I am still among the uninitiated, in spite of being a single malt consumer and collector for more than 5 years.
Nevertheless, I decided to purchse the Blackadder 1981 RAW CASK, distilled at Lochside Distillery on 23rd February 1981. One of 314 bottles drawn at CASK STRENGTH from a Single Oak Hogshead No. 614, bottled at 59% Vol. by Blackadder in September 2001 (perhaps before 9/11).
Did you pay attention to this: a remarkable 59% Vol??? In my collection I only have one that superseeds it: Aberlour's A'bunadh, at an astonishing 59.6%. Must confess I have yet to try both, in separate days, clearly. The closest I have been to drinking that volume was an already finished Ardbeg Uigedail Bottle which stood at a 54.2% Vol. But it took me a full year to finish that one.
-RAW CASK?
They say that "Blackadder RAW CASK is carefully bottled as it is drawn from the cask retaining all its natural CASK SEDIMENTS as well as all its natural OILS and FATS thus ensuring the maximum possible NATURAL FLAVOUR in every bottle."
-CASK SEDIMENTS?
Yes, you see them at the bottom of the bottle. Black as tar and/or wood colour splinters and shavings.
-Price?
US $ 55 Dollars. It was on sale. Quite fair for a 2o yr old scotch, although no mention to age is done in the bottle.
At Lindores Whiskyfest – Belgium, 2007 – Part III in a Lochside Masterclass with Bert Bruyneel, a sister bottle of my 1981 was tasted, and these lucky gentlemen concluded that:
Colour: light+
Nose: rubber band, leather, unripe walnuts, light fresh fir notes
Taste: first spicy then strawberry, raspberry, later blood and iron
Finish: medium – long, ends in sourness, bitter and abrupt
Anyway, I went about my business and on Friday, while passing again by Piarco Airport I went back to the Duty Free shop to purchase another bottle, excitedly thinking that it was worth my while to have at least two out of those 314 RAW CASK bottles, eventhough someone in Whiskymag has commented that the sediments are an artificial effort by Blackadder to pass such Single Malts as specially bottled in a suppossedly original and ancient manner. Nevertheless, I went to pay the second bottle and with the bill I recieved a shock of having the bottle's price hiked in my face by US $25 more.
Little did I know.....
It was a different bottle. This one had a slightly different label and no sediments. It was a Blackadder NATURAL STRENGTH 28 Years Old Single Highland Malt Whisky, distilled at Glencadam Distillery on the 29th September 1972, Bottled by Blackadder at 55.4% Vol. on September 2001 (perhaps after 9/11).
-Price?
US $ 80. It was not on sale, but was probably a steal for one of the 222 bottles of 28 years old scotch from Cask Number 7633, which was distilled and bottled as mentioned before.
Glencadam Distillery?
Still running strong. They have offices in Angus, in London, and imagine.... in Shanghai. Glencadam was bottled for the first time commercially in 2005. Up until 2008, only one expression was made available for sale, Glencadam Highland Single Malt Aged 15 Years. It has planned to launch a younger expression during 2008. If this is so, my 1972 28 years old, is actually a rarity and therefore a bargain at US $ 80. There was another bottle in the shelf. I'll see if it is there next time I go through Piarco Airport.
Here is Glencadam:
http://www.glencadamdistillery.co.uk/glen/welcome.htm
Lochside Distillery?
Its production was suspended at the end of last century in 1992, and its bonded warehouses were demolished in 1999.
The people at Royalmilewhiskies.com state that Lochside distillery is "A now lost distillery and something of a hidden gem. The Lochside distillery in Montrose was the main malt in the McNab blend. The distillery which started out as Deuchar's Brewery, distilled whisky from 1957 until it was closed by owners, Allied distillers in 1992. Although the warehouses have been demolished, the distillery still stands on the corner on the way north out of Montrose. Mostly bottled by independent bottlers, Lochside single malt is not widely available. Described by Murray McDavid as "the Springbank of the East"".
A 13 years old LOCHSIDE 1991 Connoisseurs Choice, bottled at 47.3% Vol., carries a current price of £ 30.40 pounds. So I believe it was a good deal for me to have bought the 20 years old Blackadder Lochside RAW CASK 1981 bottled at 59% Vol. for the equivalent of only 27 British Pounds (US$ 55). I hope to not be mistaken to think so, as I am taking age and Volume as my parameters of reference.
How could I compare my 1981 and the 1991. With taste notes or by trying it. But I have not found notes for my 1981, so I will try it and tell you about it later. But the notes for the 1991 are as follows according to Gordon & MacPhail Tasting Notes:
Undiluted:
Nose: Sweet, scented, hint of camphor and a toastedmaltiness.
Palate: Sweet and spicy, malty notes again present.
Diluted:
Nose: Perfumed with nutty aromas, the sweetness isnow in the background.
Palate: Smoky initially with earthy/herbal notes.
Look for it at http://www.whiskycastle.co.uk/section.php/8/0
Finally, some of Blackadder's selection may be found in its internet site or at:
http://www.whiskycastle.co.uk/section.php/8/0
Cheers,
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