Hopscotch Festival, Vancouver BC

[Peatlover]

Hopscotch is just around the corner! This year the festival will be taking place November 12-17; with the main event taking place at The Rocky Mountaineer Station on Friday November 16th. There are a lot of satellite events on the cuff of being announced, with some old favorites returning as well as some new events! One very exciting addition is The Great Whisky Smoke, an exclusive VIP event held in The Whisky Experience Tent right before the main tasting.

Keep checking the Hopscotch website for more details.  Tickets for all Satellite Events and The Grand Tasting Hall go on sale to the public on Monday October 8th.  Please note that this year, unlike last year, satellite event tickets do not include Grand Tasting Hall admission.
Hopscotch Festival
604.742.1706

http://www.hopscotchfestival.com/

[Peatlover]

Some of the satellite events have now been posted- see below If we can find a babysitter - we will be at the Macallan dinner. Yummmmmy.

Whisky 101
Discover the world of whisky with Cask Strength founder and whisky educator Andrew Starritt. This event focuses on understanding the differences between the main types of whisky as well as some ideas on how best to appreciate and serve them. The evening will feature tasting of a wide variety of whiskies and learning how tasting can be related to such things as raw materials & production methods.
Monday November 12th
Culinaria Restaurant (Dubrulle Culinary Arts)
609 Granville St.
7:00 pm - 9:00pm
$49

Blind Tasting
Let your senses guide you! In this seminar you'll be jumping in feet first as we sample whiskies from different regions of Scotland without knowing what distillery makes them. This is a great way to truly test your palate and it is a fun way to get to know your favorite drink. Don't be fooled by a Speysider in an Islay's clothing! Light snacks provided.
Hosted by Cask Strength's Andrew Starritt
Tuesday November 13th
Chill Winston
3 Alexander
7:00pm-9:30pm
$89

Fine Food & Beer at The Art Institute of Vancouver - Dubrulle Culinary Arts
Join Chef Donald Gyurkovits & Sommelier Stephen Bonner and discover the art of pairing beer with food in this fun but informative tasting event. The evening will consist of a specially created four course dinner paired with equally special beers and truly is a must event for any food & beer lover!
Tuesday November 13th
Culinaria Restaurant (Dubrulle Culinary Arts)
609 Granville St.
7:00 pm - 9:00pm
$69

Beers around the World
Every country in the world adds their own flare to life, with their own culture, spices, food, people and landscape. Learn how beers from around the world taste just a little different from each other while all being equally delicious. Try Grolsch from Belgium, a Pilsner Urquell from the Czech Republic, a Blanche de Chambly from Quebec, New Castle from the UK and a Sleeman from Canada paired with a 5 course gourmet meal presented by International Brand Ambassador Bryce Zurowski and Chef Lynda Larouche of Watermark on Kits Beach.
Wednesday November 14th
Watermark on Kits Beach
1305 Arbutus St.
7pm-10pm
$79
All dinner guests will be entered to Win a Trip to the Czech Republic to visit the Pilsner Urquell brewery in Pilsen.

A Night of Whisky and Chocolate
A fascinating evening of pairing the top selling whisky's of the world, with one of the Top Belgian chocolate manufactures, Belcolade.
Taste and learn how whisky transforms into a whole new experience as you learn what a difference chocolate paired with the water of life can make.
Expect both the whisky and the chocolate to melt in your mouth.
Hosted by Belcolade Importer Terry Tyson and Cask Strength's Andrew Starritt.
Wednesday November 14th
The Sandbar Seafood Restaurant
1535 Johnston Street, Granville Island
7:30pm-9:30
$69

Molson Brewery Tour
Back by popular demand, The John Molson Academy is flinging wide its doors for a special beer experience. Taste beer that has been brewed that day and kegged mere hours before you taste it. Then tour one of the biggest breweries in Canada with Molson's brewmasters and run through a tasting of Molson's finest brews including beer from their subzero draft tower. Not normally open to the public, you won't have seen, or tasted, anything like it before. Snacks provided.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Burrard Street Entrance, South End of Burrard St. Bridge.
Vancouver
6:00pm-9:00pm
$25

Wisers 150 Year Anniversary Private Tasting
Celebrate 150 years of Wisers with a rare opportunity to taste Wisers limited edition premium Red Letter Whisky, commemorating the 150 year anniversary. Join Master Blender Mike Booth as you experience this once in a lifetime opportunity to learn the art of distillation, flavourful characteristics and fascinating facts about one of Canada's leading brands of Whisky.
Wisers Special Blend, Wisers Deluxe, Wisers Reserve, Wisers Very Old, and Wisers Red Letter Whisky (only 300 cases being launched in all of Canada)
Thursday November 15
Shebeen Whisky House
9 Gaoler's Mews
Gastown
8pm-10pm
$49

Macallan Dinner
Enjoy an evening with The Macallan; one of the world's most awarded and admired Single Malts. Executive Chef Jeremie Bastien of Boneta Restaurant will create a perfectly paired menu with some exceptional offerings from The Macallan. Fine Oak 10 Year Old, Sherry Oak Cask 12 Year Old; Fine Oak 15 Year Old, Sherry Cask Strength; Fine Oak 21 Year Old; Sherry Oak 18 Year Old.
This will be an opportunity not to miss. Limited seating available.
Thursday November 15th, 2007
Boneta Restaurant
1 West Cordova
7pm -9pm
$79

The Great Whisky Smoke
Glenmorangie presents an afternoon of eating, drinking, and premium cigar smoking at this all exclusive aficionado's heaven. Treat your best clients and yourself to this once in a year event, as you sample Glemorangie, the biggest selling single malt in Scotland, in a comfortable luxury lounge style atmosphere, with gourmet food, whisky samples, premium beer complimented by Nuestra Familia's finest Torano Cigars.
The perfect Corporate Smoke.
Friday November 16th
Rocky Mountain Railstation - "Whisky Experience Tent"
3pm-6pm
Tix: $99

Malt in your Mouth
Back by popular demand, Mike Harrison, from Britain's oldest wine and
spirit merchant "Berry Bros. & Rudd" (est. 1698), will take you through Glenrothes Vintage Scotches and the Select Reserve expression.
The Glenrothes distillery, located beside the "Burn of Rothes", has always been acclaimed as an exceptional Speyside Malt. Thirteen years
ago the Malt Master noted that, on rare occasions, certain sets of casks from a particular year's distillation where superior and "at the peak of
all possible perfection". Thus the first Vintage Glenrothes vintage was bottled setting a new and exciting standard in Malt Whisky making.
Included in this seminar is a component tasting; through the use of small plates laden with nuts, vanilla , spices and ripe fruit , your olfactory senses will be enhanced and your palette refined. Salt Tasting Room will serve up their signatures plates of gourmet cheeses and cured meats.
Saturday November 17th
5:30-7:00pm
Salt Tasting Room
45 Blood Alley, Gastown
$69

[hawss]

I've got to admit, I'm a little dissapointed with the program for Hopscotch this year.

The feature dinner offers run of the mill Mcallan products whereas last year it featured Springbank products.

Glenrothes is back for the Malt In Your Mouth at the Salt Tasting Room (great venue by the way); same as last year. I would have like to have tried something new.

Last year the Grand Tasting night included an great selection of cigars for free. It seems that this year they're having the same event however they're charging $60 for it and calling it a 'Schmooze' event (says so right on the ticket). Granted they're providing nibbles and beverages - unless they're planning a surprise it doesn't sound too impressive.

What I enjoyed so much about the 'sattelite' events last year is that they offered an opportunity to sample fine malts that I wouldn't have otherwise had much access to. I think this year would be a great opportunity for first time visitors but those of us have been to a few don't have much to anticipate.

On that note...see you there.

[Peatlover]

We didn't make it to any of the events except the Macallan tasting, which we thoroughly enjoyed. For a full review, check out our web site:

http://www.dipsophilia.com

Go to the "past events" page.

Hawss, if you want to send me a review of the whiskies you tasted this year, please email me!