Timed To Perfection: Balblair Scotch Whisky & WIRED Magazine Competition

Yesterday WIRED magazine and Balbair single malt whisky announced the launch of an exciting photography competition.

The prize is a 1965 vintage of Balblair, which is part of a limited release of just 350 bottles, this rare single cask edition, distilled in 1965 was aged in an American oak, sherry cask (potentially from Ardbeg?)

I've been lucky enough to try this whisky in the past, and I have to say it's a great dram, and a very rare opportunity to own a £1250- £1500 bottle of whisky!

The theme of the competition is the Highland whisky distilleries motto: "Timed to Perfection".  

Running from September 1st to October 14th the competition will be encouraging talented amateur photographers to submit their work to the WIRED team.  Entries will be judged by WIRED picture Editor Steve Peck and Editorial Photographer of the Year 2010 – Edmund Clark.

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Not a Whisky Riot, but a Smooth Jazz Experience!

Those who are fans of Islay whiskies may be familiar with the Feis Ile (also know as the Islay Whisky Festival).  An annual whisky festival in May, which dedicates individual days over the space of a week to the distilleries of Islay, Jura and Arran.

However, you might not be as familiar with the Lavavulin™ Islay Jazz Festival. Currently in it's 13th year it looks like it won't disappoint! 

Although the festival started in 1999, Lagavulin only started sponsoring the event last year (2010). Over it's thirteen years the festival has grown to become a staple in the UK Jazz scene. I guess the combination of fantastic whiskies and amazing musicians can't but help draw people from all over the UK and Globe.

The Festival covers the weekend of Friday 16th September to Sunday 18th September. It will be opened by vocalist Viktoria Tolstoy. She’ll sing her own special arrangements of many great standards along with interpretations of pop tunes.

The Festival also features the world premiere of the sensational Scottish Drummer Tom Bancroft ‘s Red Triowith English piano star, Tom Cawley, and Norwegian bass sensation Mats Eilertsen, while Brian Kellock and Jacob Karlzon front two piano trios at different edges of the jazz spectrum.

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La Fête Nationale! A Whisky Celebration with Auchentoshan 1999 Bordeaux Cask.

It seems last month I missed the launch of the new limited edition Auchentoshan. Aged for the entirety of it's life in a Bordeaux Cask.

These French oak casks from the region that produces extraordinary wines, such as Chateau d'yquem and Château Lafite Rothschild, generally offers up big spiced elements, cream, hints of woodiness and a depth of caramel sweetness not always attributed to whisky.

Released on Bastille day (July 14th) this dram has been recieved well by some of the blogs which have reviewed it already.

Earlier this evening myself, Billy and Jason B Standing had the opportunity to try it while recording the second offering of "Village of the Drammed".

In retrospect, I think this is the sort of dram I'd personally have to revisit or spend a little more time with. Initially I wasn't won over, but have found it to be the case with most other caskstrength Auchentoshan's I've tried! 

The Vital Statistics

Age: 11 years old

ABV: 58% ABV (Caskstrength),

Non-Chillfiltered

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Who is Number One? Karuizawa Whisky Stock Sold!

The second whisky tasting I ever organised was a Japanese night called "Lost in Translation", back in 2007.  

The idea was simple!

I managed a small restaurant in Newcastle upon Tyne, which had a 50 seater Cinema attached, so we decided that a Japanese film (Lost in Translation) and whisky combo would be fitting.  In the lead up to the actual evening I discovered a set of Japanese whiskies sold as Ichiro’s Malt Card Series, being distributed by a drinks company called Number One Drinks.  I ended up buying a bottle of the Ace Of Spades, a thick heavily sherried 1985 Hanyu, bottled at 55% Abv. It left me hooked to most things Japanese!   

Since then Number One has continued to release and distribute amazing Japanese whisky, and has in my opinion really opened the European market to companies like Suntory and Nikka. 

Then a couple of weeks ago I heard rumours that the gents at Number One might have got their hands on all the remaining stock of Karuizawa whisky. This proved to be true as 10 mins ago the following press release popped up in my mailbox:

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"Brown Drink"! The Ultimate Whisky Cocktail?

"We got a little rule back home: if it's brown, drink it down; if it's black, send it back".

Homer Simpson - Homerpalooza

I'm sure you'll agree that the name "Brown Drink" may not be the most appealing, but it does make you think what is it and should I really drink that?! Well... that's what I thought back in July when I saw them eagerly in the process of product development.

In true Master of Malt style they are continuing to do whisky things a bit different.

"Brown Drink" is a cocktail of different spirits taken from the leftovers of their "Drinks by the Dram" production. Rather than pouring the dregs away they decided from the start to gathered them. Over the last 12 months they managed to accrue 37 bottles. This is a vatting of 500 individual spirits.

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A Whisky Rollercoaster ride to Success for Ardbeg

Ardbeg fans celebrate in style at the Ardbeg Rollercoaster party.

The iconic Islay malt whisky, Ardbeg invited hundreds of fans to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of its worldwide fan club – the Ardbeg Committee, at two funfair-inspired events in Edinburgh and London in July 2010.

In 1997, when the Ardbeg Distillery on the shores of the remote island of Islay re-opened after years of closure, the Distillery appealed to loyal fans to help them spread the word about its re-awakening. Such was their enthusiasm that in 2000 the Distillery decided to form the Ardbeg Committee; its evangelical mission: “To ensure the doors of the Ardbeg Distillery never close again”. 

Ten years on and there are 50,000 members in 120 countries and in the UK members and guests enjoyed an authentic fun fair themed evening, with games such as 10 Dram Alley and ‘Shortie’ Shooter Gallery, while savouring the latest limited edition, Ardbeg Rollercoaster.

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