Whisky Fringe

[BruceCrichton]

The whisky fringe is on again this year, in Edinburgh.

August 18 and 19.

Tickets available:

Saturday Ticket
http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/produc ... 0000000586

Sunday Ticket
http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/produc ... 0000000593

Two day ticket
http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/produc ... 0000000609


Who's going?

[Mike Ralston]

Thanks for the heads-up, Bruce!

I've bought my tickets and started anticipating a dissolute weekend...

[BruceCrichton]

Thanks for the heads-up, Bruce!

I've bought my tickets and started anticipating a dissolute weekend...

Have you been before?

[Mike Ralston]

I've not attended the Whisky Fringe for a couple of years because I was offshore at the time, much to my annoyance.

As I recall, on first arrival, one has to be careful to decide exactly which malts need precise & considerate analysis; these are tasted and one's opinions recorded. After that it tends to slowly dissolve into a magnificent drinkfest (for me anyway)... I still have a crumpled piece of paper telling me that at my last WhiskyFest I had tasted 38 different drinks.

Most enjoyable anyway! And many interesting & like-minded people to talk to...

[Spirit of Islay]

Hi Bruce
Ordered my ticket for the Saturday .
Will be heading up by train for the day and no doubt meeting old friends in Mathers beforehand .

Slainte
Gordon

[Leither]

I see the Saturday has sold out for this 2 months in advance - pretty good going. I'm very much looking forward to the best event on the whisky calendar. Glad I got a 2-day ticket as well, but will need to pace myself!

[BruceCrichton]

Just going on the saturday.

See you there.

[vitara7]

ive not been for a couple of years due to the last time i went it was so bad.... might be better now though, so might go again but i doubt it as i dont rate RMW at all.

[BruceCrichton]

What's wrong with the WF and RMW?

[vitara7]

last time i went it was in the church, i think it was the first time they were there, there were very few whisky companies/distilleries there and i found the event very poor and was out of there in under 15min.

there shop, well its now just a tourist trap. yes they have a fantastic selection of whisky, but over the last few years their level of staff and their own staffs knowladge has come down a lot, there used to be a few guys in there that knew shed loads, but now i dont go in.

i used to spend about £200 - £350 a month in RMW from about 5 years ago until about 1.5 - 1 year ago, now i dont go in at all. whats the point? for collectable bottles theres no point as they shove big stupid anti theft rfid tags on the front and side of bottles, not the litle white rectangular ones, but the big inch square onces and they dont come of maging the bottle just stupid.

my advice to any whisky shopper in edinburgh is this, if your a tourist, go to the whisky heritage centre, they wont try and speak down to you, (theyve never done this to me at RMW, theyde be picking up their teeth with broken fingers had they tried to, but ive seen it first hand done to folk in their shop). youd almost think that at RMW they were on commision on what they sold as there trying to influance your selection and look down on some selections, again, they didnt do this to me as they would have had to surgically remove any bottle i was buying at the time from their rectum.

if your a whisky drinker or collector, then just walk down the royal mile to cadenheads where you will meet the most knowladgeable whisky anorak in edinburgh, mark, cant remember his second name but hes a baling bloke with glasses, great bloke spends time with everyone and you get what you ask for and never looks down on you or your selection.

i know what keir tried to do with RMW when he bought it from the taran shop next door, and for a while when he had good staff it was goign fine, now it seems to be going back to what he said himself he wanted to get away from in the first place.

theyll prob be a few folk coming on saying im wrong and all that, but put it this way, i can be at RMW in 10 - 15 min, yet i would rather pay more and buy whisky from loch fyne or whiskyexchange and get it posted than buy from RMW, surley that in itself speaks volumes.

[Leither]

V7 - I'm very surprised by your post and I think you are way off mark there. Indeed some of your aggressive remarks sound a bit childish really.

My experience of RMW has been far from this and I feel I must come to their defence - admittedly I don't buy several hundred pounds worth a month and I do not buy to collect. Their level of customer service has been nothing less than first class to me, both online and in the shop, and I know many other people who say the same. All of their staff are a pleasure to deal with.

Ditto other shops like Cadenheads and LFW you mention - I think they are all a credit to the industry.

Rather than your comments speaking volumes I think the fact that they are Whisky Mag's 'Retailer of the Year for 2007' and have been on 2 or 3 previous occasions surely speaks volumes.

I'm pretty sure your comment must be an isolated example but I'd be happy to hear others experience.

[vitara7]

leither, if you have only been using RMW in the last year or two you wont have noticed a differance, which i dont know if you have or not, im talking about over a period of time its got to a point its nowhere near as good as it was.

last time i was in there too busy chasing the tourists and pndering to them for ages and ages gving them samples of whatever in the end for them only to buy a NAS glen moray where as im standing at the counter wanting to by a couple of behined the shelf bottles.

think about it, if you were a business would you be more interested in the 30min sale pitch to sell a glen moray or 10 seconds of just hanind two bottles and getting about £400 for them.

their staff knowladge is no where near what it was, they would have been as well just getting in tea total students to do the job.

as for childish leither, i thought we were all above that level.

[r900p]

V7, i agree certain members of the staff there do lack knowledge, but i expect its summer jobs and are purely there just to work the cash register. Whenver i email or phone, the replies are educated and always fill me in one new releases and things id didn't know.

I haven't used them for some time now as i find LFW and TWE have a better selection in terms of rarer malts. I find with RMW to get a rare malt that they don't have you join their mailing lists, well i've never heard from them about any bottles i've been after. The others mentioned keep me updated.

Perhaps its just the edinburgh shop, i tried to get to the London one around easter but couldn't make it.

But no matter what i'll always pop in the Edinburgh one when i'm there.

Rob

[Leither]

Fair do's V7 - you're the expert on buying to collect and I've only been a customer for a year or so. I just thought your comments were a wee bit extreme and was surprised to hear them, given the reputation of RMW being top rate and having heard nothing to the contrary.

I've had a few poor experiences of customer experience but nothing to the extent of wanting me to break teeth, fingers and partake in bottle sodomy. As such, I'm glad you won't be at WhiskyFringe then!

[r900p]

Wimp

[les taylor]

Isn't the Ricky Hatton fight on saturday?

[Leither]

Do you want my stats?

I may need to drop em all for the weigh in but I'm just a wee bit shy and fearful of the old bottle to rectum attack!

[martin grant]

I'm a fan of RMW so will be at Whisky Fringe this year.
Arthur Motley and Stuart Smith are some of the most knowledgeable people about whisky I have ever met, so I've never had any problems in the shop or on the phone

[irishwhiskeychaser]

There is one issue here that we all can fall into the trap of .... and that is the missunderstanding of service .... V7 is a bit annoyed that he as a very valued customer is not getting the service he deserves which is very understandable .... however there is another side .... and this is probably why RMW are getting best whisky retailer awards on a regular basis ....

Firstly they are in a very busy tourist intensive city and have hoards of people comming in and out every day especially during holiday season .... many of these customers will have no great knowledge of whisky or a small taste base to work off. Therefore they are being tutored on spec and I would imagine that the RMW staff are trying to broaden their whisky knowledge and taste base etc...

And this is the maddening part for someone like V7 ... the staff could spend 30mins with this whisky ignorant (for want of a better description) only to sell one cheap bottle and V7 is left standing there waiting to part with hundreds ... but the point of service is to offer the same service to all, why should the whisky ignorant get a lesser service just because they don't know what they are doing and are only going to spend 20quid. Unfortunately for the likes of V7 that is where the distinction of a great service comes from and is something that we need to allow for. So yes it means pandering to tourists .....

[Deactivated Member]

I have been at Whisky Fringe for the past couple of years and I'll be back this year. The admission fee is very small indeed, and you get an opportunity to sample some great whiskies; meet distillery experts; and occasionally bump into old friends. The 2005 one was smaller than last year and didn't have quite so many unusual bottles around. Last year had some exceptional stuff - in particular, the SMWS and Douglas Laing had magnificent stalls. Michel Couvrier brought some unusual bottlings - some quite pricey ones too - and there was a good spread of OBs too.

I don't go into RMW as often as I used to, being here on Lewis. But when I did, I was always acknowledged immediately, even if staff were engaged with other customers. I would be poured a sip of something interesting when the opportunity arose, so that staff could get through the customers who needed help - whilst I was free to browse and drool. I always thought the staff were knowledgable and friendly and never put me under pressure to buy. Stuart was especially helpful to me in an ebay dispute which was resolved in my favour.

I do find their security squares irritating. To be fair, they try not to put them on the bottles behind the counter. But it does mean that for most of their bottles, I will only buy to drink and not buy to collect.

I think it is great that the staff at RMW do give their time to tourists. They are ambassadors for Scotland and the whisky industry when they deal with visitors to the city. And it is great to see that tourists have found their way into a shop that sells excellent products, catering for wealthy visitors; discerning collectors; and local residents looking for their blends or bourbons - and offering them all equally good service. I smile, wait patiently and try to take vicarious pleasure from tourists having a good time, and sip my sample.

Cadenhead's is also an excellent shop, and Mark is also a great ambassador for whisky and for Edinburgh. But it is less likely to get the tourists because it is in the part of the Royal Mile where tourists just don't go.

[Leither]

I think it is great that the staff at RMW do give their time to tourists. They are ambassadors for Scotland and the whisky industry when they deal with visitors to the city. And it is great to see that tourists have found their way into a shop that sells excellent products, catering for wealthy visitors; discerning collectors; and local residents looking for their blends or bourbons - and offering them all equally good service.

Indeed - unlike some other retailers on the High St, and elsewhere, selling 'tourist tat' made in China etc at least you can be sure of getting authentic Scottish produce at RMW (and other prominent whisky specialist retailers) and as you say Nick, they do also cater for all whisky tastes.

After all tourism brings more than £4 billion to the economy and employs more than the whisky and oil/gas industries combined.

From a visitor perspective RMW are perfect examplars of retail ambassadors for Scotland and Whisky Fringe is another example. Well done guys and keep it up!

[susywong]

I worked at RMW back in 2002 for just under 2 years, on and off, and I still think it's one of the best sepcialist Whisky Shops around. Yes, there are tourists, but what do you expect when situated on the Royal Mile? I agree with Liether and Nick in that the tourists have to be treated the same as everyone else. How are we supposed to know that a tourist won't buy that £300 bottle? You can't be selective when working in a retail environment - everyone deserves to get the help and advice, how else are they going to make their choice??

From my days working there, everyone that walked through the door, be it a tourist or collector, they were all treated with the same respect and if the shop was busy, then people were seen to on what you would term a "first come first serve" basis. If there were 20 tourists before 1 collector, then the collector would be told "I'm sorry, but someone will see to you as soon as possible". But everyone was given the same high quality service, whether the sale came to £20 or £200.

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, and maybe you had a bad experience V7, but RMW must be doing something right, otherwise they wouldn't be winning the awards!

Susy

[Oiler_Kiwi99]

My wife and I will be going this year on Sunday. I've heard nothing but good things about Whisky Fringe. I'll be wearing my Rugby World Cup All Blacks top if anyway wants to say hi.

[richard]

i have to agree with vitara its not as god as it was when i first went in there the first time about twelve years ago it was friendly good service a nice shop to go into i used to go in every year sometimes twice

i went in there looking for some glenlivet bottles about a year ago the last time i went in looking for glenlivets bottles (colletables)

i was told we have this collectable glenlivet in the cabinet but the young man behind the counter told me i dont think you can afford it these were his actual words not very clever

so i have to agree with vitara there is defineately a difference not for the better im afraid lets hope the next time i go in there its a bit better otherwise i wont be going back again

richard

[Deactivated Member]

The way tourists are treated in Scotland is abysmal generally, so any shop that can offer a little time to talk to visitors is to be applauded. Let's face it though, RWM is situated purely to cash in on the tourist market. V7, sadly your 2-3 hundred pound spend per month is a drop in the ocean to places lke that and no-one venturing into a tourist shop is ever going to be really valued. Nick, I suspect that you are the ubiquitous exception that disproves the point.

I don't have a probem with RMW except that they are a tad pricey - thought not as bad as the Whisky Shop which I don't rate terribly high. They are way too expensive and, from the dealings I've had with them in various locations, I have little faith in their shop assistants.

Personally I no longer shop in these places as, like most things these days, I get the feeling that it is very little to do with the product and everything to do with squeezing a little more cash out of customers.

The clear exception to this is, and I hope always will be, Loch Fyne Whiskies. Incidentally, they seem to cope with lots of people in the shop at the same time and manage to keep everyone entertained and feel valued irrespective of how much they spend. IMHO they remain the best value whisky shop I have come across with brilliant staff.

Richard, Laura, Andy, Pete - I hope you're reading this as I'll be popping in on the way down to Campbeltown this weekend. Man, LFW, a Dougie MacLean concert and a visit to the Loch Fyne Oysters on the way home. What more could a body ask for?

[Leither]

Ah well, the fewer folk that are at this event the more nectar for me

The fact that Saturday tickets sold out within days of going on sale speaks volumes. No other whisky event can compete.

[Deactivated Member]

I was talking about the shops, not the whisky tasting event which I am quite sure will be its usual successs. I would have liked to have gone but couldn't get accommodation even close to Edinburgh.
Guess I'll just have to content myself with a visit to SMWS tasting event in Queen St tomorrow night. Closed Distilleries - promises to be good

[Spirit of Islay]

Ah well, the fewer folk that are at this event the more nectar for me

Thats what you think Leither .......

The fact that Saturday tickets sold out within days of going on sale speaks volumes. No other whisky event can compete.

Couldn't agree more , look forward to this one every year , nice venue and nice relaxed atmosphere . Also with the later starting time i can now have lunch in the Vaults before hand !!!!!



See ya tomorrow

[BruceCrichton]

Be sure to make a bee-line for the Adelphi stand.

I tasted their 1990 Linkwood and it's smoothness personified.

[BruceCrichton]

Great event.

What were people's favourites?

[Leither]

Brilliant - lots of coffee today for me. What another fantastic event, well done RMW and the gang. The range and value for money of this event really takes some beating.

Highlights for me (over both days!) were several:

- Rosebank 1991 Dun Bheagan from Ian Macleod, just a lovely and light lemon sherbet Rosebank - one of the best lowlanders I've had and up there with my 1st love that is Bladnoch

- Bunny 18 and 25, jsut bl00dy good drams

- Glenfiddich Solera and Gran Reserva, I have often dismissed Fiddich but their older ranges are worthy of more respect I think

- both cask strength Arrans, from Bourbon and Sherry (and well done Matt who was on the stall on his ownsome!)

- G&M Old Pulteney 1994 Sauternes from their Private Collection range, I'm not a fan of Old P normally but have enjoyed others from this range

- tried a few firsts for me with an OMC Ardmore (not so keen on this one, I think I prefer the briney Islay peatsmoke!) and an OMC Banff, lovely 'old fashioned' Highland style which to me was very similar in many ways to an old Clyenlish/Brora. It's a crying shame that oldies like this and Rosebank are no more!

- Glenmorangie's new port finish, big thumbs up from me and also to their Sauternes finish (tremendous mouthfeel, very sweet and almost unctuous to suit my palate). Superb presentation with contents to match!

- It was absolute privilege to sample Duncan Taylors Rarest of the Rare 33yo from closed (and also named - Kinclaith, Ladyburn, Glen Mhor, Glen Albyn, Glen Craig and Carsebridge) distilleries.

- last but not least the stars of the show for me were Adelphi, both their single cask Breath of the Isles and Breath of Islay astounded me, being extreme and excellent examples of both distilleries (which were easy to either work or tease out!). Also their young Glenrothes from a sherry cask shows that a good young 'un can often beat a good old 'un, altho water didn't help this dram for me.

So Adelphi's two 'Breaths of...' were my top picks, closely followed by the OMC Banff. If I was pushed to pick a number one from the Adelphi range it was the one from Skye, what a sensational chilli pepper kick on the finish.

Not too keen on the Benriach new finishes but hey-ho you can't like them all!

Also bumped into a few forum members amd it was a great pleasure to meet Martin Grant, Spirit of Islay and both Mr and Mrs Oiler Kiwi. Special mention to SoI for a wee drop (actually quite a decent drop) from a rather special bottle he had to hand, very much appreciated indeed. Anyway it was great to put a few faces to the forum names, this really made both my days.

Anyway i will conclude by saying once again, very well done to all involved with this event.

Also... almost forgot that I had a foray into rums yesterday, it's a wee bit of a blur but being a big lad I can hold a few.... well, shiver me timbers and all that but rums seem to suit my sweet tooth and all pretty good especially the Peruvian 15yo Ron Millonario.

[BruceCrichton]

- Rosebank 1991 Dun Bheagan from Ian Macleod, just a lovely and light lemon sherbet Rosebank - one of the best lowlanders I've had and up there with my 1st love that is Bladnoch.

Skipped that but the CC Caol Ila Saint Emillion finish was fantastic and I recommend it to any whisky drinker, such is it's 'universal' taste.

- Bunny 18 and 25, jsut bl00dy good drams.

Had the 18 before and it's worth 2 bottles of the 12.

- Glenfiddich Solera and Gran Reserva, I have often dismissed Fiddich but their older ranges are worthy of more respect I think.

Ever had the Toasted Oak?

- G&M Old Pulteney 1994 Sauternes from their Private Collection range, I'm not a fan of Old P normally but have enjoyed others from this range.

This was brilliant as was the 1988 Secret Stills Highlander (GlenGarioch). My mate managed to sweet talk a taste of 1968 Benromach - excellent for those who can afford it.

- tried a few firsts for me with an OMC Ardmore (not so keen on this one, I think I prefer the briney Islay peatsmoke!) and an OMC Banff, lovely 'old fashioned' Highland style which to me was very similar in many ways to an old Clyenlish/Brora. It's a crying shame that oldies like this and Rosebank are no more!.

Missed those but Douglas Laing's 1963 Lochside Grain is a snip at £100 and their OMC 1990 Glenturret is a must buy for £50. (It's out of stock at RMW according to the website.)

- It was absolute privilege to sample Duncan Taylors Rarest of the Rare 33yo from closed (and also named - Kinclaith, Ladyburn, Glen Mhor, Glen Albyn, Glen Craig and Carsebridge) distilleries..

Had that at another event. DTC have a fine stock of Caol Ila and Imperial, going by the tastings I've had.

- last but not least the stars of the show for me were Adelphi, both their single cask Breath of the Isles and Breath of Islay astounded me, being extreme and excellent examples of both distilleries (which were easy to either work or tease out!). Also their young Glenrothes from a sherry cask shows that a good young 'un can often beat a good old 'un, altho water didn't help this dram for me..

Had the Glenrothes before, which I didn't like but it gained a fie-hard following at a previous event. The Isles and the Glen Elgin were fantastic. The Clynelish, I grabbed at a previous event, and it's brilliantly sweet. The 1990 Mortlach won over my mate who previously didn't like it at that age.

So Adelphi's two 'Breaths of...' were my top picks, closely followed by the OMC Banff. If I was pushed to pick a number one from the Adelphi range it was the one from Skye, what a sensational chilli pepper kick on the finish..

The competition was stiff but I'll go for Adelphi's Glen Elgin followed by CC Caol Ila and OMC Glenturret. There were several other must buys as well.

Not too keen on the Benriach new finishes but hey-ho you can't like them all!.

The 12 (peated) Pedro Ximenez is the pick. Very all-round flavour. My mate tried the non-peated Madeira which he liked but not as much as he liked the one I had.

Also entertaining was the Connemara CS which was lightly peated and honey sweet with a smoothness that belied it's 58%abv.

Van Winkle's 12 Bourbon is stupendously sweet and their Rye 13 is cleverly spicey.

Anyway i will conclude by saying once again, very well done to all involved with this event.

Indeed. A superb Saturday out. Fantastic. Grabbed the Benriach 12 and the CC Caol Ila. I now only have about 9 other bottles to pick up whenI have the time and cash.

The best fringe yet and I'll be quick off the mark to get there next year.

[Leither]

Cheers Bruce, the ones you mentioned such as Glenturret, Glen Garioch and the Bourbons I simply didn't find time to try - maybe next year they should make it a week long event!!

Either that or I'll do less talking and more dramming

Must try the 'Fiddich toasted oak, thanks for the tip!

One thing that I'm really appreciating is that the independents like Adelphi and Laings have such a diverse range, but can be pricey so thank goodness for Cadenheads and G&M are hard to beat.

[Oiler_Kiwi99]

Great Event. Next year we will definitely go both days as time doesn't allow you to get around everyone. Nice to meet Leither. Apologies for any inaccuracies in advance as I stopped taking notes over 15minutes and partook of several drams.

Some highlights for me: -

1st dram of the day - Bowmore 30yo 'Kranna Dubh'

Aberlour A'bunadh Batch 20 60.7%

The Pappy Van Winkle 20yo Family Reserve - (Bourbon is something I must try more of)

Thanks to Martin Grant for the comparison of some of the new Glenmorangie range with their existing counterpart. New packaging looks the part and IMO every comparison of the new range was a definite improvement on the old.
Old v New
10yo v 10yo
Port Wood v Quinta Ruban
Sherry Wood v La Santa
Sauterne 15yo v Nectar D'Or

Harrods have the new range on sale from yesterday exclusively for 2 weeks

Talisker 18yo

Adelphi
Mortlach 1990
Breath of the Isles 1992
Breath of Islay 1992
Fantastic stuff and it was interesting to hear that Alex select only 1 cask out of roughly every 40 he samples. He's got great taste.

Compass Box
Peat Monster - Pleasant but no Monster
Flaming Heart (Batch 2) - Great stuff

Nice to meet and chat to Dave Broom at the Rum stand. Again something that I should consider more of.

And to finish the day a lovely dram of Glen Garioch 30yo. mmmmm

All in all a great afternoon in a great venue. Can highly recommend the Italian restaurant across the road. Had a brilliant 2 course lunch in there before the event.

[BruceCrichton]

Cheers Bruce, the ones you mentioned such as Glenturret, Glen Garioch and the Bourbons I simply didn't find time to try - maybe next year they should make it a week long event!!

Either that or I'll do less talking and more dramming

Must try the 'Fiddich toasted oak, thanks for the tip!

One thing that I'm really appreciating is that the independents like Adelphi and Laings have such a diverse range, but can be pricey so thank goodness for Cadenheads and G&M are hard to beat.

DTC is the best for price. Wonder what happened to Signatory, wonder why they don't exhibit any more?

DL and Adelphi are pricey but it is a matter of supply and demand. When I had the Adelphi Clynelish at a p[revious event, I knew it was worth the £45 it would cost and ran like hell to get some before it sold out.

As for the Glenturret and the others you missed, it's just a matter of guessing which ones you are likely to enjoy. With 12 must buys, I had a good afternoon and I'll try and pick up some of the ones I didn't get that day, later.