A Bit About Sherry

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 6:31 pm

A story in the Boston Sunday Globe travel section about Jerez. Not particularly in-depth, and nothing about passing the barrels on, but a glimpse at a couple bodegas:

http://www.boston.com/travel/articles/2 ... y_at_home/

by **TheLiquorBaron** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 2:27 am

Thanks for the link Mr.T...
I had a read and as you said not much in the way of being too in-depth but it further wets my appetite for travel!!

I look forward to getting to Spain and trying some of the top Sherries...
Cheers!

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:59 am

Me dear old mum, who likes her sherry, read this, and started drooling over some of the finos mentioned. I have found out that my local packy (that's Massachusetts-speak for liquor store) carries them. Christmas solved!

by **Mr Fjeld** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:06 am

Ah fino sherry is nice! Crisp, dry and goes perfect with so many things you wouldn't use wine with. Fino and Serrano ham is just sooooo good! Try it!
Oh, serve cold!

Btw, nice article Mr T.

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:09 am

I'll see if I can get Mom to try that, Christian. She's very skeptical about drinking it cold.

by **TheLiquorBaron** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:15 am

What is the best temp. for drinking a sherry??

by **Mr Fjeld** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 5:05 am

MrTattieHeid wrote:I'll see if I can get Mom to try that, Christian. She's very skeptical about drinking it cold.

I think she'll enjoy it cold too but if your mother prefers it tempered rather than cold then that is her privilige.

Bar Items wrote:What is the best temp. for drinking a sherry??

Sweet wine is often served at cellar temperature - like you would with an ale, or at room temperature. The latter means like in southern europe where living room temperature is much lower than the average in northern europe. Dry sherry - unless you prefer otherwise of course - is best served chilled - even very cold - or as cold as you would serve your pilsner. Traditionally, dry sherry us used with salty or fatty food like ham, sausages, olives etc and the cold bonedry sherry works as a mouth cleanser and is also refreshingly cold.

It is very different from sweet sherry but if one gives it a chance I'm sure you would love it!

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 5:06 am

Mom drinks hers at room temperature. The article linked above, like Christian, suggests refrigerating fino in particular.

I like a drop of Pedro Ximenez now and then--I think if you refrigerated that, you'd have trouble getting it to pour out of the bottle!

by **Mr Fjeld** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 5:11 am

MrTattieHeid wrote:I like a drop of Pedro Ximenez now and then--I think if you refrigerated that, you'd have trouble getting it to pour out of the bottle!

Your thread made me curious about sweet sherry again. Haven't had one in years (apart from Harvey's Bristol Cream at a party) . Think I have to get some - any good suggestions Mr T ?

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 5:17 am

I'm no expert, but every PX I've had has been nice. However, the one from Lustau was the the thickest, most raisiny/pruney stuff I've had--just totally wicked awesome. But be warned, it's really, really sweet. A little goes a long way!

by **Mr Fjeld** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 5:23 am

Thanks for the advice, I just checked with the "Vinmonopol" and it turns out they do have one called: "Lustau Solera Reserva Pedro Ximenez San Emilio" . Think I'll give it a go!

by **TheLiquorBaron** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 5:25 am

Thankyou for your advice Christian...do you know of any good websites that discuss the different types and production methods/process??

I have never really tried sherry before(I say "never really" as I used to take little swigs from mums decanter. I have no idea what sherry it was)

I remember my great grandmother was 'very' fond of her sherries but bless her soul she has now passed and I am unable to ask her about what she used to drink...I will have to ask my Nan(grandmother), my great grandmother's daughter.

by **Mr Fjeld** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 5:59 am

Bar Items wrote:Thankyou for your advice Christian...do you know of any good websites that discuss the different types and production methods/process??

I found this which seems to be an official site: http://www.sherry.org/
I have a thing or two to learn about sherry also - especially the sweeter ones as I've mostly enjoyed the dry "fino style" sherries.

I have never really tried sherry before(I say "never really" as I used to take little swigs from mums decanter. I have no idea what sherry it was)

you naughty boy!

I remember my great grandmother was 'very' fond of her sherries but bless her soul she has now passed and I am unable to ask her about what she used to drink...I will have to ask my Nan(grandmother), my great grandmother's daughter.

I think the drier style is becoming ever more popular - and the sweeter ones loosing popularity. I wonder how it will impact on the availability of barrels for the whisky industry? Does anyone know what kind of barrels the whisky makers prefer?

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 6:21 am

I've heard of all kinds being used--fino, oloroso, PX, you name it. The thing is, now that sherry is no longer exported in bulk to the UK, there really aren't any excess barrels for use by the whisky industry--at least, I don't think there are. If you read the article, a solera system is used; I don't know how often barrels are taken out of use, but it seems not often. From what I've heard, on this site and elsewhere, barrels are often "seasoned" with sherry specifically to be used by distilleries. So, whereas at one time sherry casks were used because they were cheap and readily available, now it appears they must be commissioned. At least, that's how I understand it.

by **TheLiquorBaron** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 6:42 am

Wow...there is some seriously OLD sherry out there(in Spain of course)...

I also found some info here Christian and Mr.T -
http://www.emilio-lustau.com/default.asp

Mr Fjeld wrote: you naughty boy!

I did own up to it...last year :lol:

Mr Fjeld wrote:I wonder how it will impact on the availability of barrels for the whisky industry?

Well I have insider news that Glenfarclas will be limiting their single cask variations and 'special bottlings' of sherry finished expressions as they need the casks for their standard releases and the casks(which has been pointed out) are now becoming more scarce. As Mr. T mentioned I believe that whisky distilleries now commission casks to Jerez...

Guys looks like we have to have a revival of sorts for Sherry, so that we can still enjoy our different finishes in whisky.

Actually I think Arran is definately onto something with their 'wine' finishes...Wine casks will never run out, or at least not in my lifetime

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 10:21 am

I think the standard was Oloroso. Pretty much still the standard for Jameson/Midleton.

Wikipedia wrote:

Oloroso ('scented' in Spanish) is a variety of sherry aged longer than amontillado, producing a darker and richer wine.

Unlike the fino and amontillado sherries, in oloroso sherries the flor yeast is suppressed by fortification at an earlier stage. This causes the finished wine to lack the fresh yeasty taste of the fino sherries. Without the layer of flor, the sherry is exposed to air through the slightly porous walls of the American or Canadian oak casks, and undergoes oxidative aging. As the wine ages, it becomes darker and stronger and is often left for many decades.

Oloroso sherry is also the base for many of the sweet sherries developed for the international market, such as Bristol Cream, in which oloroso is sweetened and sometimes has the colour removed by charcoal filtering to achieve a desired effect.

by **TheLiquorBaron** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 10:45 am

Irish I had only seen Fino and Oloroso, but I just found this...
http://cgi.ebay.de/TALISKER-1993-AMOROSO-SHERRY-CASK-FINISHED-WHISKY_W0QQitemZ190054310427QQihZ009QQcategoryZ83704QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Hmm...I have a new project to work on now - I will try to have the most offerings in different finishes in the Southern Hemi...
I don't think that would be too hard to achieve in Oz?! There are some great liquor stores here and some really good bars with plenty of different offerings but I would like to have something here not unlike the Craigellachie Hotel's Quaich Bar.

by **TheLiquorBaron** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 2:07 am

This is quite good reading and very informative...
http://www.pjwine.com/html/sherry2.html

Anyone get that Talisker??

by **Reggaeblues** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 11:45 am

Yes - got a bottle of DE Talisker(was it 1991, 0r 1992?Shucks! Can't remember...)on my way to play the 2005 Isle of Man blues Festival and shared it with my hosts - not whisky people, but they loved it! Wouldn't have been the 2006 bottling obviously, but probably not dissimilar.

For Talisker fans, i would have to quote the guy from "Loch Fyne whiskies"on "classic malt' finishes.

"...not better(than the standard) just different."

...but deliciously different!

BYTW thanks to whomever put me straight on what LFW stood for(see above!) I thought it had something to do with that Bowmore perfume controversy...(i.e. Le French Whore...)

by **TheLiquorBaron** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:17 pm

Reggaeblues wrote:Yes - got a bottle of DE Talisker

Was it a sherry finish...what sherry??

Reggaeblues wrote:]BYTW thanks to whomever put me straight on what LFW stood for(see above!) I thought it had something to do with that Bowmore perfume controversy...(i.e. Le French Whore...)

Laughing with you Reggae...

by **Reggaeblues** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 1:35 pm

BI...I honestly can't remember which sherry it was in the DE finish, so i'd guess "the same..."

So i checked in Jackson's Malt whisky companion no. 4, in which he reviews the '86 DE TAlisker, and yes, that too was Amoroso...

BTW, here's another laugh for you - my dad sent me this a while back. So much for official tasting notes!

TEMPRANILLO FROM LA MANCHA

Spanish Red Wine

Official tasting notes on the label, in English...

SENSORIAL TASTING:

It has a deep, obscure, red and cherry colour with a good cloak, clean and brilliant with reflexes of medium evolution which show tiles. It has aromas of breeding, prevailing new wood over an elegant and perfumed bottom of spices and matured black fruit well united and with balsamic memories. It is vivid on the toungue with a great acidity very well integrated and a solid, full, silky and greasy way, and a wine, tasty and well structured final. It is large in retronasal.