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Whisky Magazine Issue 59 cover image

Whisky Magazine Issue 59

In this issue - The Blenders Art - Kentucky Bourbon Festival - First look at reopened Scapa - Whiskey rebellion - The price of malts - 40 whiskies reviewed - Milling Malts - American Ads - Glenrothes Dinners

Published on 11/10/2006

5

Fresh beginnings

It ‘s a big world out there,new Editor Rob Allanson ponders the view

So here it is, my first column at the helm of Whisky Magazine and what a time to take the reins. The industry is incredibly buoyant with some cracking whiskies being released, so a very exciting time...

By Rob Allanson in the section From the Editor

11

The elephant parade

Michael Jackson on recurring dreams of the circus coming to town

Wake up. Better try again. A sentence that ends in a preposition is not a propitious way to begin a new day. Don't know where I am. Never do until the day's first downfall of coffee. "Bad for your bl...

By Michael Jackson in the section Musings with Michael Jackson

12

Footprints of history

Dave takes us on a walk through the Glasgow
of his childhood

Where is home? The place of your birth, the place you live in now, somewhere else where you feel the most content? When people ask me where I am from, I say Glasgow even though I’ve been clinging to...

By Dave Broom in the section A dram with Dave Broom

14

The price is right?

In this issue we ask some of the industry’s luminaries to discuss the sensitive issue of pricing and effect on the public’s perception
of whisky.

Panel Iain Baxter – Inver House senior brand manager IB Ronnie Cox – The Glenrothes brand ambassador RC Ken Grier – Malt Director for the Edrington Group KG Dominic Roskrow – Whisky Magazin...

By in the section Whisky Debate

17

The perfect marriage

Blending is about combining ingredients that stand the test of time,Rob Allanson finds out more

They say it’s a little like conducting a symphony orchestra, when it all comes together you can be swept off your feet. The art of the blender has always been a fascinating one, how you keep some o...

By Rob Allanson in the section Whisky Blends

21

The best of blends

Is a passion for blends on the rise? Ian Wisniewski looks at what is being done to promote blended Scotch.

It’s a strange position to be in. While blended Scotch accounts for around 90 per cent of the sales volume of Scotch whisky, malts have been far more dynamic, attaining a cult status with a devoted ...

By Ian Wisniewski in the section Whisky issues

25

Late night tunes and soulful drams

What makes great whisky music? Our new
music brain Rocky McCabe ponders
the issue and recommends a Mercury
prize nominee

I used to spend many a happy hour debating with my predecessor, the late Lew Guthrie III, about the link between whisky and music. We were poles apart. He reckoned music was only relevant when it was...

By Rocky McCabe in the section Whisky and Music

26

The Orcadian phoenix

The Scapa Distillery is producing spirit regularly again after a two year renovation programme. Dominic Roskrow reports

It’s the stillroom at Scapa that you remember most, and in particular the large window at one end of it, and the still at its heart. Chalk and cheese really; the window providing vantage across the...

By Dominic Roskrow in the section Distillery Focus

31

Rebellious times

Ian Buxton looks at turbulent times during whiskey’s history

So begins William Findley’s classic account of the Whiskey Rebellion, his History of the Insurrection, published in Philadelphia in 1796. You have to admire his understatement. “Interesting scen...

By Ian Buxton in the section Whisky rebellion

34

Out of the ordinary

Dave Broom gives us his guide to staying ,eating,drinking and visiting in Japan

Japan is disorienting, bewildering, exciting and, occasionally, a little alarming. No matter how many times you visit the country, no matter how much you think you can more or less understand how it w...

By Dave Broom in the section Visitor Guides

41

Showtime

Two of the greatest shows on earth.We provide an overview ofWhisky Live in Glasgow and Paris.

The grandeur of Glasgow bathed in the most glorious sunshine was the backdrop for this year’s Whisky Live event. The world’s premier whisky tasting show, held in George Square, was packed with en...

By in the section Whisky Live

44

Scotching the myth

The concept of whisky and food has come a long way in recent years. Dominic Roskrow charts its progress

A couple of years ago The Guardian newspaper in Britain reviewed Whisky Magazine alongside a selection of British wine magazines. The fact that the female journalist bracketed a whisky title in with ...

By Dominic Roskrow in the section Whisky and Food

47

The curiosity of travel

Jefferson Chase on the drinking culture in Georgia

Good travel writing makes you curious about places you'd never want to go to. In Wendell Steavenson’s Stories I Stole, that place is Georgia – a den of lawlessness full of boozing, jesting, musica...

By Jefferson Chase in the section Whisky Literature

48

Back in business

After 200 years,George Washington’s distillery has been restored to its former glory, Charles K. Cowdery looks at the history and takes us behind the scenes

George Washington’s distiller was from Scotland, so Prince Andrew cut the ribbon at the restored distillery’s grand opening in Mount Vernon, Virginia, on September 27. A thin reed, perhaps, but Hi...

By Charles K. Cowdery in the section Distillery Focus

50

Whisky with water

Sounds simple enough,but there is more going on as Ian Wisniewski finds out

Enjoying whisky in the form of a long, refreshing drink, or a sophisticated cocktail, certainly has its appeal. But to savour a malt whisky a typical recommendation is diluting with water, on the bas...

By Ian Wisniewski in the section Whisky Cocktails

51

Kentucky calling

Whisky musician Robin Laing experiences the Kentucky Bourbon Festival for the first time and finds a home from home.

Oh, the buzzin’of the bees and the cigarette trees and the soda water fountain. At the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings, in the big Rock Candy Mountains’ Bardstown must be one of the few...

By Robin Laing in the section Whisky Events

52

A free sofa with every case

The dignified advertisements you see in this publication belie the rough and tumble past of
American whiskey promotion. Charles K.Cowdery reports

Although advertising historians usually cite soaps such as Ivory and Pears as the first products to be promoted with modern mass marketing, American whiskeys such as Old Forester first appeared at abo...

By Charles K. Cowdery in the section Whiskey advertising

55

P&O Ferries still offer dram fine savings at sea

Joe Bates sets sail in search of a bargain

Before the abolition of duty-free inside the European Union seven years ago cross- Channel operators such as P&O Ferries used to make huge profits on their onboard sales. Times have changed—these d...

By Joe Bates in the section Travel retail

56

Grist to themill

Ian Wisniewski gets to grips with an often
overlooked yet vitally important stage of the
production process – milling

With commercial maltsters preparing the vast majority of the industry’s malt requirement, milling is usually the first process undertaken at a distillery. Although this may seem an entirely practic...

By Ian Wisniewski in the section Whisky Production

59

Bruichladdich bonanza

Ian Buxton gets his taste buds tickled with the latest releases

Cult Islay distillers Bruichladdich has announced the release of a staggering eight new expressions. Top of the heap is the Bruichladdich 125th Anniversary, commemorating the distillery’s 1881 foun...

By Ian Buxton in the section Whisky Spotlight

74

As easy as A,B,C

New to whisky? Then this new series goes back to basics. Dominic Roskrow explains

So there we were, having a heated debate about what did and didn’t constitute pot still whiskey, when someone suggested we look it up in a glossary. Which we did, only to discover that the definiti...

By Dominic Roskrow in the section Understanding whisky

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Whisky Tastings

Bowmore 1968
What a start! A truly magnificent dram and for me miles ahead of the competition.

Feis Isle 2006 Laphroaig 94
The reserved nose is compensated by a lively, palate. Laphroaig is bang on form.

Glenfiddich 1973 Vintage
Beautifully calm and seamless after the rugged attack of the Laphroaig.

The Glenrothes 1994
A teasing mix of aromas and flavours.

Hazelburn 8 Years Old
Good impact for a ‘light’ whisky. Highly recommended.

Rittenhouse Rye
Rye is a love or hate thing. I happen to love it. I usually prefer my ryes young, this works.

Springbank Marsala, 9 Years Old
These strange combinations make me think of an unconventionally beautiful model like Erin O’Connor.

Wemyss Vintage Malts Spice King
Best neat.

Singleton of Dufftown 12 Years Old
A perfectly pleasant dram, but lacking the finesse and complexity of the best on show here.

Whisky Fair Glen Scotia 'Heavily peated'
This is just too odd.

Wemyss Vintage Malts Smooth Gentleman
It was all going so well...

Berry's Own Selection Aberlour 1994
Kicking up your heels as well as soothing. To be sipped far from the city buzz.

Berry's Own Selection Bowmore 1995
A sunny malt. Quite sharp and spirity but a pleasant aromatic freshness. Could be a thirst quenching for some. Water does not cut all edges.

Berry's Own Selection Glenlivet 1974
Very elegant and balanced on the nose. Oak tends to show off but the dram keeps its charm though.

Berry's Own Selection Imperial 1976
A classic malty malt. Good balance, interesting dry spiciness. Well structured, hexagonal like Bach music. For those who don’t like the unexpected. I don’t mean boring though.

Dewar Rattray Auchentoshan 15 Years Old
A well-balanced dram, as malty as fruity with a luscious toffee tempting character.

Dewar Rattray Bowmore 14 Years Old
A beautiful Islay malt in a sherry refill dressing. Rich aromatic development, great combination of strength and sweetness.

Dewar Rattray Bowmore 17 Years Old
The nose is more interesting than the palate. A full bodied character which has flirted a bit too long with wood. Might suit cigar palates.

Dewar Rattray The Macallan 17 Years Old
A beautifully combined aromatic display with a caressing texture. Delicious.

Dewar Rattray Teaninich 30 Years Old
The high strength makes it difficult to tame even with water. Some like it hot. But my palate waves a white flag.

Douglas Laing Bladnoch 15 Years Old
Not a very exciting whisky. Too edgy. Not delivering much on the palate. And lacking finesse. A bland cask?

Signatory Glen Garioch 14 Years Old
The cask was too tired to give roundness to that elegantly grassy malt. Alcohol needs to be tamed by water but still…

Douglas Laing Linkwood 16 Years Old
A classic malty beast. Well balanced. A winter warmer to enjoy with nuts and crispy nibbles.

Provenance Lochnagar 1994
That guy hides a tender heart under a reserved manner. Give it time and a dash of fresh water. Definitely an outdoor dram.

Douglas Laing St Magadalene 23 Years Old
Interesting but a sweet note too far maybe but the finish gets a grip on itself and leaves a clean minty freshness. Recommended for sweet tooth.

Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood 15 Years Old
That malt could easily be thrown in a calvados blind tasting, with aged oaky individuals.

Harris Whisky No Ordinary 16 Years Old
A wake up call dram for those who like action on the tongue. A classic bourbon maturation which outlines a buoyant character.

Harris Whisky Tamdhu 14 Years Old
More interesting without water. But then, alcohol prevails. The nose is appealing.

Old Masters Glen Garioch 18 Years Old
A rich aromatic profile and a soft texture give that whisky a sensuous feel. The perfect after-dinner dram to enjoy a moment of calm and of solitude maybe…

Whisky Fair Clynelish 32 Years Old
A muscular yet elegant old malt. Brisk and complex. Alcohol is somewhat insistent.

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