Bruichladdich “Trestarig”

by **ronnie** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 11:32 am

“Trestarig” - The World’s First Islay Triple-Distilled Whisky.

Anyone surprised by a new release from Bruichladdich? :roll:

"Islam's greatest legacy, in addition to The Koran and the Arabic language, is the unholy art of distilling alcohol as implied directly by “Trestarig” - a long forgotten Hebridean whisky."

...duh.. didn't know that, heh.

Although, it sounds a bit interesting at 84,5%.. Here's the tasting notes by Jim McEwan:

"At this strength you would expect the spirit to be volcanic, ‘spirity’ and unpleasant to the nose, but it’s just the very opposite. The texture is silky & concentrated; it oozes rather than runs over the palate with a superb fructose glucose mouth-feel.

The nose is amazing. It’s minty cool as though it had just been removed from a refrigerator - rather than a pot still. The aromas explode in a sonic boom of heady, full-flavoured, wild zesty mint, thyme, rowan berries, fern, flowering currant, clove, cinnamon.

Then a second wave brings green apple, pear, green banana, honeysuckle and coming towards the end of the run - its malty, mead, biscuity, cereal aromas that emerge. It’s a beautiful zestful, luscious, juicy, menthol cool spirit.

I can only imagine, in years to come after maturation in Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrels, this will become an outstanding Islay single malt and will take its rightful place in the history of the ‘island of whiskies’ - where change is seldom seen."

http://www.bruichladdich.com/latestnews ... les/21.htm
http://www.bruichladdich.com/latestnews ... les/22.htm
http://www.bruichladdich.com/mark_edit/ ... _notes.pdf

Edit: Sorry, don't know if this was the right place for this post, maybe 'Whisky chat' would have been better..

by **Iain** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 12:29 pm

It is a little known fact that Islay was settled by Muslim Arabs in the Middle Ages, attracted no doubt by the balmy climate.

They brought with them the art of distilling and the recipe for a traditional Arab delicacy called Al Hag-is.

The rest is history...

by **Lawrence** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 5:34 pm

Iain you make me laugh.....the whisky does sound interesting though.

by **Deactivated Member** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 6:20 am

Well, I suppose "Islay" and "Islam" are only a letter apart. As if I don't already have enough trouble getting folks to pronounce the former properly....

by **Lord_Pfaffin** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 7:20 am

Oh man what Is you talkin 'bout?

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:33 am

How curious to be offering tasting notes on a new distillate before it is matured. It almost makes one wonder why they bother maturing whisky at all, it sounds so good with almost every flavour under the sun. But we'll never know, coz we'll never taste it in this form. I'm not even sure the alcoholic percentage is terribly relevant (is it, perchance, the highest strength ever...?) because this is not the strength at which it will be bottled. I think the legal max is 79.9% anyway.

I' afraid I can see this as nothing more than an empty marketing trick to entice punters to part with yet more money for yet another record-breaking, one-off, limited edition, collectors item. Hats off, again, to the marketing bods at the Franklin Mint of the whisky world. Now perhaps we can revert to the tradition of doing tasting notes for matured whisky, not raw spirit.

by **hpulley** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 11:53 am

We don't need actual products to make tasting notes. The marketing folks can make up flowery prose on the spot!

Harry

by **Admiral** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 2:12 pm

Too true, Harry!

by **Lawrence** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 3:54 pm

Yes, somebody has to create the buzz in the marketing place.....the whisky does sound interesting though.

I wonder if they are going to start making grain whisky at Bruichladdich, then they could make their own "Single Blended Whisky" as Ben Nevis does.

by **bernstein** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 5:18 pm

Lawrence wrote:I wonder if they are going to start making grain whisky at Bruichladdich, then they could make their own "Single Blended Whisky" as Ben Nevis does.

Jim McEwan may consider this...

Talking about Ben Nevis. Are you sure, Lawrence, Ben Nevis does it today? My book tells me some Joseph W. Hobbs installed Patent Stills back in the fifties at the distillery, but they were removed in the eighties.
Loch Lomond comes to mind though. They have a grain distillery on site. And they actually produce a Loch Lomond Single Blend.

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 5:21 pm

Dare I say it, but "single blend" is an oxymoron. Single means one. Blend means more than one.

by **Iain** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 5:47 pm

It says in the press release "Bruichladdich has distilled Trestarig once again".

The material I can find describes Trestarig as a whisky made in Lewis from oats. Martin Martin's "tasting notes" say it was "strong and hot" in his day.

JM's notes suggest that the only thing about Bruich's Trestarig that will be similar to the original, is that it's triple distilled :wink:

by **bernstein** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 6:31 pm

Nick Brown wrote:Dare I say it, but "single blend" is an oxymoron. Single means one. Blend means more than one.

Don't blame me, blame them :wink:

!

Or as they say:

Loch Lomond wrote:“As we produce grain and 8 different malt whiskies, then we can (and do) produce a world class blend using only our own malts and grain whiskies.”

by **bernstein** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 6:46 pm

BTW - Mr Picky won't be amused at all if he has to read this on Loch Lomond's site:

The taste on the palette is sweet, smokey, with hints of finest Madeira wine and has a long, mellow finish, with echoes of a raisiny Xmas pudding.

Sorry, again off topic!

by **Deactivated Member** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 6:09 am

Bernie, Mr Picky is amused indeed. I wonder if all those blended malts compliment one another. ("Looking good, old boy!")