What Does John Know?

Building on the alliance that Malt Advocate and The Wall Street Journal developed for the second half of 2008, I am proud to announce that both companies will continue their mutually-beneficial relationship for the entire 2009 calendar year.  

The alliance includes, among other things:

The Wall Street Journal sponsoring WhiskyFest Chicago in April, WhiskyFest San Francisco in October and WhiskyFest New York in November,

Wall Street Journal ads in Malt Advocate magazine and on the Malt Advocate magazine website, along with exposure at all three events through branding,

Malt Advocate advertising in The Wall Street Journal,

Editorial support by Malt Advocate Magazine’s Publisher & Editor (me) for a special Whisky advertising supplement in The Wall Street Journal slated for November.

This should increase circulation in both publications, while also increasing attendance at WhiskyFest and reaffirming its status as America’s premier whisky events. And it accomplishes Malt Advocate magazine’s primary mission: to promote whisky and educate consumers.

The Party Source in Bellevue, KY has just bottled the first-ever (so I am told) Ancient Ancient Age 10 year old single barrel bourbon. I just couldn’t resist comparing it to the standard issue AAA 10 yr.

I did a very informal review the other night, sipping each side-by-side while watching the Phillies game. There’s an obvious distinction between the two (which is what makes single barrel bottlings so interesting).

The Party Source single barrel is lighter in color, more nimble on the palate and subtly complex. It’s also softer, more elegant and creamy in texture.

The standard bottling, which is not from a single barrel, is darker in color, “heavier”, with darker sugars, more grit and more oak influence.

Both, by the way, are very nice.

Bruichladdich is replacing their existing 15 year old whisky with a new 16 year old. This new 16 year old is aged entirely in used bourbon barrels. The price is expected to be about $100. According to the press release I just received, it is expected to be part of the Laddie portfolio until 2011.

Here is the press release I received:

Bruichladdich has released an all American Classic with French royal family and a revolutionary war connections - The Bourbon 16.

New Bourbon laws, when US Prohibition ended in 1933, stated casks must be  used just once before being sold off. Today redundant Bourbon barrels represent about 97% of casks used for maturing Scotch whisky. Their influence on Scotch is enormous.

These casks are made from Quercus Alba, white oak, also known as American Oak from the Ozark mountains of Missouri and Kentucky.  Tyloses, or cellular growths, make this oak more water-tight meaning  it can be machine-worked, use thinner staves,  reducing coopering costs.

“Our American Classic, the Bourbon 16”, says MD Mark Reynier, “makes a great contrast to our French oak “First Growth” series.

“We wanted to reaffirm the American connection: The end of Prohibition changed not only America but the flavour of Scotch Whisky. “Scotch and American whiskies are historically linked. It’s a symbiotic cycle: we gave them distilling, so they can sell us cheap casks.”

Immigrant Scots started distilling in the US shortly after the American War of Independence in a newly established (1785) county -  Bourbon. It was called Bourbon in homage to the French royal family, in recognition of their help in the battle against the English.

Just four years later the French Revolution started. America’s national spirit was nearly called  Napoleon.

When I get a review sample, I’ll let you know my thoughts.

Thanks to the donations of very rare whiskies by Macallan, Glenlivet and Glenfarclas, WhiskyFest San Francisco raised $8,000 for Food Runners. If we can taste some great whiskies, have a good time, and raise money for a good cause, then we all win.

Okay, here’s an issue many of us have to deal with, and that includes me. So many whiskies are not imported to the U.S. You want to buy a whisky from a retailer somewhere overseas, you have a friend who wants to ship you whisky, or (in my case) a whisky company wants to send you review samples. But if you ship through the proper channels it gets flagged at the Newark Airport (or wherever) and they won’t send it to you unless you have an importer license, pay them lots of money, give up your first born child, etc.

I’m not advocating breaking any laws, but I know some of you have found ways to have your whisky shipped to you faster and with less red tape. You comments are anonymous, so does anyone want to offer some advice to those of us less enlightened?

(I’m not referring to shipping whisky with you when you are traveling but rather having whisky shipped to you from overseas.)

After all the discussions we had on how we transport our whisky from one place to another, would you like to know what the pros do?

WhiskyFest San Francisco was this past Friday night. If you’ve been following my blog (and all our WhiskyFest promotions) over the past several months, you know that we brought out of retirement the past Macallan Distillery Managers and Managing Directors for each one of them to create a unique bottle of Macallan to be tasted at WhiskyFest San Francisco for a small charitable donation.

These whiskies are very precious and rare. So how did Macallan safely transport their whisky  from Scotland all the way to San Fransisco? They used Wine Cruzer. It’s a black padded container of varying configurations and prices designed to ship wine, but it works for whisky too. The Macallan guys gave me the whisky (inside the Wine Cruzer) the morning of WhiskyFest for safe keeping and I also shipped the bottles (and what’s left of the whisky) back to our office in the Wine Cruiser to be used at our charity table at WhiskyFest New York on November 11th.

I had plenty of time to inspect and use the Wine Cruzer and, I like it so much, I’m going to get one for myself. They’re fairly expensive (the one I want is going to run me about $300) but, considering the value of whisky these days, It’s a great feeling to know that I will be transporting my whisky knowing that they will not break. They also are designed for travel (wheels, telescoping handle, etc.) and look pretty cool too!

You might not ship that much whisky to warrant to cost. With three WhiskyFests each year and overseas trips Scotland and Ireland, I know that I’ll use it.

Some whisky bottles are much wider in shape than standard wine bottles, but there are models of the Wine Cruzer that will accommodate champagne bottles and magnum bottles, so there is some “wiggle room” there.

Anyway, I thought you might like to know about this.

The good news: Arran’s oldest whisky to date is being introduced.

The bad news: It will only be available in a handful of locations

Here’s the press release I just received this morning:

The Arran Malt marks the next chapter
Isle of Arran Distillers has extended their award-winning range of single malts with the arrival of The Arran Malt 12 Year Old in October 2008. The new expression will sit alongside the current Arran 10 Year Old and like its younger sibling is bottled at 46% without being subjected to chill-filtration at the bottling stage or the addition of artificial colouring.

Distillery Manager, James MacTaggart, comments “The 12 Year Old was initially matured in refill-sherry casks and then married for 9 months in first-fill ex-Olorosso sherry hogsheads. The use of Spanish oak has added a new depth of flavour to the Arran Malt and the next chapter in the Arran story is sure to be appreciated by connoisseurs around the world”.

Packaged in the proprietary Arran bottle and a striking gift tube, The Arran Malt 12 Year Old is available from specialist whisky retailers (see below*) at £32.99.

* Loch Fyne Whiskies, Royal Mile Whiskies, The Whisky Exchange, The Whisky Shop, Robbie’s Drams
-
For further information please contact:
Euan Mitchell
Isle of Arran Distillers Ltd
euan@arranwhisky.com

Those very rare whiskies from The Macallan, The Glenlivet and Glenfarclas that debuted at WhiskyFest San Francico over the weekend are now heading to WhiskyFest New York on November 11th. None of the bottles were emptied completely, so we’re shipping the remains to WhiskyFest New York.

The list of whiskies, outlined below, raised thousands of dollars for charity (Food Runners) at WhiskyFest San Francisco (final amount to be tabulated when we get back to our office). We still have some left and, for a small donation, you can taste them. Start saving your pennies. Get there early because some of them only have 1/4-1/3 of a bottle left.

Oh, and make sure you get a ticket. I think WhiskyFest New York will sell out this week.

Here’s the list.

The Macallan:
Unique, individual, bottles (bottles 1 of 1) of Macallan created by current and retired Macallan Master Distillers and Managing Directors, listed below.

Bob Dalgarno (current Master Distiller)
Frank Newlands (retired Master Distiller)
Sandy Curle (retired Master Distiller)
Willie Phillips (retired Managing Director)

Glenfarclas “Family Cask” Vintages:
These whiskies were never imported to the United States
1955
1968
1974
1989
1994

The Glenlivet Cellar Collection:
1959
1964
1969
1972
1983

WhiskyFest San Francisco is tonight. That’s the good news. The bad news is that I got a cold a few days ago and am still trying to kick it. My taste buds are at about 50% right now. Hopefully they’ll improve by this evening.

Anyone else ever have an unfortunate experience like this with regards to whisky tastings and events?

This whisky is just starting to get into circulation here in the U.S. 

The Peat Monster (Reserve Edition), 48.9%, $150/1.75L
Compass Box Whiskies celebrates the 5th Anniversary of The Peat Monster by thinking big: bigger intensity and put in a bigger bottle. This bold whisky is packed with Islay and coastal character, showing tarry rope, brine, and a hint of seaweed, along with teasing smoked olive, anise and mustard seed. There is some civility to the whisky: sweeter notes of vanilla wafer, baked apple, ripe peach and cream attempt to soften the blow. Smoke and tar on the finish. Nicely done.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 92