Oslo Whisky Festival

by **SpiritofShetland** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 9:01 pm

For the first time in history a whiskyfestival is to be held in Norway - Oslo to be precise.

It's to be held over the weekend of the 30th and 31st of October.

Masterclasses and tastings all through the weekend, with all the major importers on site with some goodies for the visitors.

Visit the website for more info (only in Norwegian I'm afraid: http://www.whiskyfestival.no

by **BruceCrichton** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 1:10 am

Be careful as I won't be there to carry people home. :wink:

If Duncan Taylor and Sons turn up, grab a bottle of Auld Reekie and you won't be sorry. I just had a tipple of it today on my travels.

Nice and smooth and peaty and smoky. It'll make up for Laphroaig rather losing it's punch.

by **ragsrobin** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 11:01 am

We'll keep an eye out for it, but grabbing is - unfortunately - out of the question. We might get to taste stuff (as long as we pay), but all sales go through the wine monopoly, so there will be no sales at the festival.

And yes, you read that right, we'll have to pay for anything we want to taste... It's illegal to give away alchohol in Norway, even if it's 1cl samples...

Still, looking forward to it.

by **BruceCrichton** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 1:42 pm

Pay for your samples? That's bad.

I'd rather go flying over a fence in a Saab.

There was a festival in Stockholm recently.

Is the law the same in Sweden?

If it isn't then maybe you should hop over the border to next year's Stockholm festival.

by **SpiritofShetland** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:52 am

What the law is in Sweden for such events, I don't know. But in Norway it's very much illegal to give away alcohol without payment.

Instead it'll work like this. Upon arrival you'll pay an entrence fee of 250 NOK (£20). This includes a booklet of ten vouchers (good for ten drams), a nosingglass and a few other small items.
Extra booklets with ten vouchers can be bought for 150 NOK (£12).

Masterclasses cost 100 NOK (£8) each and includes:
* A vertical Talisker w/Douglas Murray
* The influence of casks w/Graham Eunson
* A vertical Bowmore w/Jimmy Robertson
* Glenfiddich/Balvenie w/Ludovic Ducrocq
* Something from Douglas Laing w/Stewart Laing

by **BruceCrichton** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:38 pm

That's how Whisky Live works.

You got given a fixed number of dram vouchers which not everybody insisted on taking from you when you got a dram.

Did you know that there was a festival in Sweden?

Would you go to it if it is there again next year?

Watch out for your use of the number 8 with a bracket. It makes a 'cool' emoticon appear.

by **SpiritofShetland** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 8:16 am

Yes Bruce. I'm aware of the festival in Stockholm, Sweden. Problem is they put it at the end of September, a time when I've been in Dufftown for the Autumn Festival.

Btw. Latest news for the Oslo Festival:
Jim Murray is to hold a tasting with some of his favourites at a pre-event to the festival.

by **BruceCrichton** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:53 pm

If my dates are correct then you could have made the Stockholm festival but it would have involved you being in Dufftown, getting back and going straight over the border to the next festival. Your liver will be absolutely knackered.

You'd better not mention this to Geir as that will give him ideas. :wink:

Maybe those cognac for breakfast guys that you know would be interested?

The Jim Murray thing sounds cool though. I've got his book on blended whiskies which is excellent.

by **BruceCrichton** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:20 pm

How was it then?

by **SpiritofShetland** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 8:46 am

Please Bruce, let us sober up a bit.

The Oslo Whisky Festival was great. Managed so sample around 40 different whiskies in total and attended three masterclasses:
* Talisker vertical
* Morrison-Bowmore
* Stewart Laing / Old Malt Cask

Great moments:
* Laphroaig Quarter Cask
* Talisker 18
* Ardbeg Cask Sample
* Glenmorangie Artisan Cask
* Lagavulin Destillers Edition 1986
* OMC Bladnoch

by **BruceCrichton** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 6:48 pm

Who was all there that usually goes to Dufftown?

And would five cognacs before breakfast have improved things? :shock:

Were you speaking like Boris Johnson when you finished all of those drams? Rhurr, urr, uhrr, rhurr-urr, urr!

Any of those drams you would pay money for?

by **SpiritofShetland** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 8:52 pm

Of the Dufftown regulars it was me, Ragnhild and Per. None of the 5 cognacs before breakfast-guys - luckily.

As for one worth the dosh:
Talisker 18 at £37 is a steal (The Whisky Exchange). The Artisan Cask isn't quite ready yet, so I haven't got a clue as to price. The Laphroaig is priced at £27 for the first 1000 bottles - so that isn't half bad for a cask strength whisky (58%).

As for Boris I kept my verbal impression of him safely behind lock and key.

by **BruceCrichton** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 6:45 pm

I'll watch out for the Talisker 18.

Maybe if you'd had five cognacs and eaten all the pies in Oslo then you would have been Boris's double.

No more festivals till next year. It's going to be a long 6 months.

Oslo Whisky Festival

Oslo Whisky Festival

Whisky in Stockholm