So on June 1st, it’s once again Ardbeg Day known as “Ardbog Day” this year, when the world prepares itself for some shooglin and dramming (that’s dancing and drinking) with “Embassies” across the world springing up to host the Ardbog Day release. Last years offering was reviewed by me here, this year it’s called Ardbog and I’ve already dug it.
Ardbog Day is best experienced at the distillery itself where they really throw quite a party (as well as some peat). There are numerous additional tastings and tours to join but for the more active among you, why not try one of the many other shenanigans on offer- such as The Peat and Spade Race, The Ardbeg Wheelbarrow Race, The Peat Sack Race, Boggy Welly Tossing, Dribbling Ardbog style, Bog of WarNot to name just a few. If Islay is just a bit too far from home, check out where your nearest Embassy is and join them for a dram or two. If you are in London, then sign up for the Ardbog Day March and get your hands dirty with whatever they have planned. I’ve heard sheep walking over a Thames bridge, but my source is unreliable at best.
Anyway, enough about the party, what about the whisky?
Ardbog is a 10 year old single malt which is a combination of spirit matured in both Ex-Bourbon American oak and Ex-Manzanilla Sherry butt.
Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Distillation and Whisky Creation said about Ardbog “At its heart our hallmark smoky yet fruity and floral spirit has been matured in Spanish ex-Manzanilla sherry casks for ten years, which has then been wrapped with traditional Ardbeg of the same age that is matured in American ex-bourbon oak casks. The Manzanilla maturation weaves salty flavours through the whisky which is then balanced with the maple syrup creaminess of the first-fill ex-bourbon casks.”
Ardbeg Ardbog Single Malt Whisky
10 year old
52.1% ABV
Non-Chill Filtered
Release date: 1 June 2013
RRP £79.99
Appearance: Rose gold with polished bronze
Nose: An inviting nose, rich and complex with both soft floral and deep earthy notes. Honeycomb with dark chocolate deepens to liquorice root dipped in caramel. Freshly dug peat combines with gentle smoke and a hint of carbolic soap creating an earthy tone with a savory edge like pata negra ham. To the end, and with a splash of water, its cider apples rolled in ash.
Palate: Creamy and full, the rich palate delivers much of the notes from the nose, swirling and drifting between sweet flowers into earthy herbaceous tones. Mid palate is hit with a salty, brine like twist wrapped in gentle peat smoke and prickly spice. Cinder toffee, clove, salted almonds and a side of grilled artichoke in peppered olive oil. Quite a mouthful!
Finish: An oily finish, lingering peat smoke and a constant sweet/savory battle in the mouth
Summary: I was quite taken aback by this one, softer than expected and a fabulous mixture of twisting sensations. Nothing really takes over, everything seems to harmonize so well. This is nothing like the standard 10 year old Ardbeg, it’s much more refined, rounded and complex.
I don’t know about your day-to-day job, but in most industries I’ve worked in there always tends to be an underlying rivalry between competitors within the same category of work. By their very definition, the “competition” is to be better, faster, higher more productive etc. However, having worked in the whisky industry for many years now, I can safely say that there is something a little different about it. Sure, amongst the big brands of Pernod-Ricard and Diageo there is no love lost when trying to gain market share but step it down a notch or two and you will find that most industry individuals get along really well and are happy to promote each others good work. This review centres around two such people.
Neil Ridley and Joel Harrison are two guys I met a few years back who do kind of the same thing I do. They host tastings, have a whisky blog, do a bit of writing for various well know publications and Neil recently released a book (I’ve not managed to get my hands on a copy yet, but I hear it’s rather good fun) and the guys also do consultancy. And on top of all this, they a bloody nice chaps- How do they find the time?
One of their more recent projects was to release their own whisky bottles under the label “Cask Strength and Carry On”, one for every letter of the alphabet. They started with “A” as you would, Arran, then “B” was BenRiach and now to the third release “C” Cutty Sark. Being the creative types ( both are ex-A&R men from the music industry) they like to have a little fun when releasing a whisky. Not your standard tasting round a table, oh no, there has to be a little tongue in cheek about it. Sadly I missed the meeting at an underground station, the subsequent handing out of travel cards, the few stops on the underground with sea shanties and whisky tales relating to each station, the bright “Cutty” yellow bags and the bespoke newspaper created just for the launch but Neil kindly gave me all the props along with a sample when we last met. Of course, even skilled men such as these two need a little guidance from time to time and blending whisky aint all about throwing one in after the other so they enlisted the help of Kirsteen Campbell who happens to be the Master Blender for Cutty Sark so not a bad choice really when you think about it.
The release happens to coincide with the brands 90th anniversary and as such has been bottled at 51.4% (90 UK proof). It is limited to just 500 bottles and the first 100 sold will get the commemorative bag and newspaper to go along with it. The guys have kept the blend in line with Cutty Sark’s original character, which was on the lighter side of blended whisky which was uncommon at the time of its launch in 1923, but added a little smoke to bring something a little different to the party.
Cask Strength and Carry on – “C” Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky
Nose: Buttered digestive, lemon rind and brazil nut oil to the prow. A sweetness of stem ginger can be found mid deck with hints of camomile and tarry rope towards the stern.
Palate: Even at its undiluted strength there is malty creaminess to be found, a dry spice of powdered ginger and faint nutmeg with ash over cooked pear. The adition of some water developed a more floral, perfumed palate.
Finish: Drying pepper develops to a more woody element with a hint of lapsang tea tannin. Water created a slightly carbolic soap tang at the end which I didn’t appreciate- best drunk neat I say.
Summary: I’m a fan of Cutty Sark in general and I think what the boys have created here is very good indeed. It’s not going to be to everyone’s taste, but then which whisky is? Perhaps some might find it too youthful and light but I think if you know the standard release (and like it) then the additional hint of background smoke helps develop this whisky into an interesting and enjoyable dram. Here’s looking forward to “D” and of course “Z”.
In comparison, I reviewed the standard Cutty Sark release here.
With a weekend behind me I would rather forget, having been to one end of the country and back again in a day, to then arrive back in London on a time schedule which would leave even those with teleportation abilities wondering how they were to fit everything in, it was a pleasure to make (if a tad late) my final appointment of the day. The calm, tranquil setting of the Pickering room, deep in the basement of No.3 St James street at Berry Bros & Rudd, being filed with familiar faces such as Neil and Joel of Cask Strength, Marcin from No.1 Drinks, SMWS boys, Billy, Alwyn and Kirtsy, certainly helped remove the stress of the proceeding days and hours. It’s a rather amazing building, steeped with history at every turn that I have had the fortunate luck of hearing over many years and it never fails to entertain me each time I visit. Thankfully, its normally with a glass of something rather special in my hand and this time was no exception.
The reason we were gathered was to hear the ever entertaining Doug McIvor, Master of Cask Selection, talk us through the latest release in the Blue Hanger range. Blue Hanger is a collection of blended malt (vattings for those who remember the term) whiskies of exceptional quality named after William ‘Blue’ Hanger, a loyal customer at Berry Bros. & Rudd know for his expensive blue clothes. The releases originally came to the diplomatic market in 1932 but had faded into history, until being revived in 2003 by Doug. The first release was a sublime marriage of Glenlivet and Glen Grant casks which produced just 723 bottles from a total of 4 hogsheads. Unsurprisingly, it sold out almost immediately upon its release as has been the fate of every subsequent release in the Blue Hanger range. Creation of a new addition only takes place when Doug feels they have secured the right casks in the best condition and can create a complimentary expression addition to the range.
There is always a nod to the original style which was heavy on the sherry cask although Release no. 6 did surprise a few of us with its more smokey character- but then, after winning Best Scotch Blended Malt in the World in 2008 & 2012 – it clearly was a pleasant surprise. With Doug now working on the 7th release of Blue Hanger, we were offered samples of releases 2, 4, 6 & 7 plus a couple of little single cask tipples just for fun – and a 1974 Glen Grant single cask IS a lot of fun. You will have to forgive me for not popping any tasting notes below on that particular whisky- sometimes you have to just put the pen down and enjoy something as rare as this, giving it some respect rather than trying to analyze it. After all, the pleasure is in the drinking.
Blue Hanger 2nd Release 25year old Blended Single Malt
723 bottles, 45.6% ABV, Non-chill filtered
4 hogshead of Glenlivet 1974, 1 sherry butt of Glenlivet 1974, 2 hogsheads of Glen Grant 1974
Appearance- Warm gold with hints of rose
Nose- Tropical fruit salad with apricot and crushed nuts. Buttery with slight rancio notes and light orange zest emerged before turning more towards floral lavender, hay, nubuck leather and kirsch.
Palate- Much of what was to be discovered on the nose with additional chewy cinnamon, coffee/cocoa nib, cherry wood and spices of nutmeg and clove.
Blue Hanger 4th ReleaseBlended single Malt
3256 Bottles, 45.6% ABV, Non Chill Filtered
2 hogheads of Mortlach 1992, 1 sherry butt of Mortlach 1991, 1 sherry butt of Glen Elgin 1991, 2 sherry butts from Glenlivet 1974, ’75, 1 hogshead of Glenlivet 1976
Appearance- Golden Hay
Nose- Brazil nut and new plasticine with charred nut shells and a floral element which turns mineral before light clementine noted emerge. Struck match and the side of a Swan Vesta strike pad come to the front but seem to unite the other elements.
Palate- A gentle palate of warm spice, light honey and butter with cardamom and dry, toasty wood. Orange peel and dried apricots bring a welcome fruity center to the whisky.
Blue Hanger 6th Release Blended Single Malt
2223 bottles, 45.6% ABV Non Chill Filtered
Sherry butt of Glenrothes 1990
Sherry Butt of Bunnahabhain 1990
Hogshead of Bowmore 1980
Hogshead of Bowmore 1987
Appearance- Warm bronze with rose gold
Nose- Chocolate covered Brazil nut, linseed oil and liquorice root all wrapped in seaside aromas with drifts of dying embers. Brandy butter, flamed orange peel, ginger root and hay compete this most complex of noses.
Palate- Chewy indeed and as indicated from the nose, a lot going on but thankfully in harmony. Salty bar-b-que with pancetta strips, gingerbread, peat smoke and cinnamon spiced chestnuts all playing there part in bringing this wonderful marriage of sherry influenced peat smoke together.
Summary- If the outstanding quality of these exceptional cask, expertly married together to create delicious whisky was not enough to tempt you- try the fact that this latest release is only £66.81 RRP! don’t expect it to hanger round forever ! If this is a little rich for your pocket, then you wont go far wrong with Berry’s other blended option- Cutty Sark
It’s been a busy time for Dramatic Whisky and aside from all the tasting events and filing, the samples and invitations to new launches have been flowing through. Most notable is the fact that we have been really spoiled by the quality. Grants 25, Bunnahabhain 40, Balvenie Liberated Casks, Wemyss Single Cask Aultmore to name just a few and the most recent, the Balblair 1969 vintage. I have had the pleasure of visiting Balblair distillery and sampling the core expressions if the 2002, 1975 and a sneak preview of the 1969 vintage here. There was also a recent travel retail release of the ’96. But it was the official release of the 1969 bottle (our sample at the distillery was from a single cask!) that found me at the Soho Whisky Club earlier this week and is some rather fine company.
As I said we began with the fresh and lively 2002, moving to the richer 97 then to the 89 which all revealed an incredible change in character, before the 1975 vintage which was a heady combination of all elements found in the previous vintages and beautifully balanced. Finally, the 1969 vintage.
Balblair vintage 1969 single malt scotch whisky
Distilled 1969 bottled 2012 (43 years old)
A marriage of only 6 casks 41.4% abv
Non chill filtered, natural colour
2nd fill American oak hogshead cask
RRP: £2,500
Appearance: Honey gold with warm amber
Nose: Orange blossom honey, wax candle and denta-stix. Warm brioche with baked apple, soft toffee sauce over tropical fruits of banana and pineapple with hints of cider, leather and mint.
Palate: Big rounded warm spices take hold, calmed with a touch of menthol (eucalyptus oil) struck match, red berry compote and liquorice root. Ample vanilla to round out the oak, not allowing it to overpower but compliment instead. Toffee apples dusted with cinnamon and caramel wafers complete the palate.
Finish: Complex, generous and lingering. The balanced honey/spice keeps delivering more and more.
Summary: An outstanding whisky which shows just how well this brand lasts. It is unusual to find a brand how simple relies on the age of its whiskies to make up its core expressions rather than playing around with various types of wood maturation and marriages. As a consumer, Blablair is a great choice. Get stuck into the current vinategs and start your journey towards the superb 1969. Best of all, you have a bit of time as the Balblair 1969 will be launched in the USA this year at $3500, then released in 2013 in other focus markets including the UK, France, Russia and South East Asia. Enough time to save up also!
Take a glance around a supermarket spirit shelf in any good sized town and you will be faced with quite a selection of whisky including offerings from outside the UK. In fact, as Gin, tequila and other spirits have seen a massive rise in popularity and therfore shelf space which has fortunately been driven by the consumers “thirst for knowledge” we see a general increase across the categories. Go back just fifteen years and your choice of gin would be perhaps three in total with 100% agave tequila almost unheard of in anything other than top London destinations. Today you can buy some of the best tequila and boutique gins from distillers such as Sipsmith and Chase from your local supermarket whilst stocking up on dragon fruit and edemame. Consumers are understanding these categories more and seeking out the more unusual offerings, but only after careful research gleaned from every available source. Consumers have all the information they require to hand from the enthusiastic bloggers post reviewing the latest releases, lifestyle magazines that scratch the surface a little deeper to tell the reader not only what to drink- but where and how to order (and what to ware whilst ordering!) to experience events such as the hugely popular GandTeatime and Dont-shoot-tequila which offers educational tasting events across the categories all across the UK (just like us at Dramatic Whisky). Yet there is still a need for an element of trust when a bartender or shop assistant is recommending a product which is only gained if the right knowledge is shown.
Whisky has always help a fair proportion of the shelf space- mostly due to the range of blended whisky that has always been available, but the current success of more premium spirits has undoubtedly lent a helping hand for whisky and in particular single malt. Blends have always outshone single malt, contributing to about 90% of all global whisky consumed, and not only the standards blends but as we see premium blends such as Black Grouse and Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve start to jump over the sales targets set- although some premium blends are beginning to tag themselves with prices around that of a 10 or 15 year old single malt, the choice for the consumer is at an all time high. There is without doubt, an opportunity to up-sell in a recession stuck country such as our- people may be going out less and certainly watching what they are spending their money on, but when they do venture out its value for money and an experience they seek no matter what their status or budget, And as staying at home becomes more common place, people are choosing more premium products to recreate a “better than normal” experience at home. Unfortunately, far too often the UK hospitality sector and the high street retailer are seriously lacking the skills to deliver the right service or information, failing to capitalise altogether.
A few years back, when I managed The Lobby Bar at One Aldwych, London hit a tough time for tourism as 9/11 was a recent happening. Most of the five start establishments had slashed room prices as occupancy dropped to an all time low with some of the grandest of London’s establishments only reaching 20%. One Aldwych stuck to her guns, kept rates as standard but didn’t lay off a single member of staff. I witnessed this risky approach in action one evening as the then time C.E.O. of a certain orange budget airline, who was a regular, asked the owner directly why he was paying the rate he was when he could pop over the road to another five star and stay there for a third of the price. My boss’s response will stick with we forever- “Would you like me to arrange for our luggage porter to take your bags over because they have had to let theirs go”. Basically, if you can still offer value for money and deliver the perfect guest experience every time, you can maintain your price when all around you are loosing theirs.
Emerging markets outside the UK such as India, Russia and China have certainly helped boost the numbers in terms of whisky exports and sales over the last coupe of years and no doubt will continue to do so for some time, but surely we need to support the foundations in the UK to ensue we are not left behind- and here is where the problem lies.
To most people, a bottle of single malt is a pricey investment when buying at the supermarket as many still choose by age and with age, rightly so in many cases, comes a hefty price-tag. The consumer is left with a bewildering choice with little guidance other than the marketing departments best attempt to stand out from the crowd with a well crafted introduction to the whisky on the label- few though, actually tell the customer what the whisky actually tastes like. I’ve tried to ask members of staff for help, and even in large high street retailers, unfortunately the response is rather laughable.
Pubs in the UK don’t fare much better in my view. Most stock whisky, a blend at least, or have a carefully selected range which unfortunately is selected for them by the brand manager and therefore the bar staff think the job is done. They don’t need to actually learn about the range, it has “something to cover all palates” as the rep told them. Now of course this is not always the case- there are venues out there who do take care and consideration over the stock they invest in and support the choices with good staff training ensuring they can sell through the range and keep customer satisfaction at a peak. After all, with whisky on such a rise, there is great profits to be made on a large dram of liquid gold.
But the above is a minority, too few and far between a dram to bother seeking out. Even in my home country of Scotland I am shocked to find such a lack of knowledge and enthusiasm for our national drink which you would think would be the first place to start. Yet sadly, it is venues such as these, which are filled on a daily basis with customers who are interested in trying something different, moving up from a blend to a premium blend or a single malt, who would gladly spend that little bit extra if only the bar staff had the training and knowledge to deliver trust to the customer that they knew what they were offering and could recommend well.
In reality the local pub actually has it quite easy as they should know the clients well and therefore have the opportunity to sell a single measure of a new whisky, allowing them to try something without investing in an entire bottle from the supermarket. So why does this not happen more often? It seems to me that venue owners are as much to blame being fearful to invest in whisky. Yet the numbers are clear, whisky is on the rise. From the entry level blend through its premium big brother on onto the guidy heights of superstar single malt. You don’t have to be brave to bath in its glory- just clever and understand that with a little investment in training staff or even further – inviting the customer to partake in tasting events such as Dramatic Whisky, then whisky sales across the bar will increase. What I fear is that venue owners, upon hearing the good news about the growth in the category will simply grab an extra couple of “on offer” brands when next at the wholesaler and hope they chose well enough. Its not as if the tools are not out there on offer either. Every whisky brand manager will happily spend an afternoon at your venue training staff on the virtues of their brand. Or you can bring us in.
Try my little technique to work out if a bar knows its whisky- scan the back bar of whisky, find something you know well then think of an alternative but similar brand. Tell the bartender you want a whisky and normally drink the brand you are thinking of, then ask for a recommendation of something similar. Hopefully the bartender will offer you the brand you picked out but trust me on this- it works maybe 2-3 times out of 10. In fact, I have said at times I normally drink Glenlivet 12 in the hope they will offer me the Glenfiddich 12 but I have in the past been offered Laphroaig as a substitute because “Its really popular”. Eh, HELLO? Great news for the brand manager of Laphroaig, but I’m one unhappy customer if I don’t like Islay whisky and I’m afraid that all important confidence i was hoping to attain as a customer has just left the building.
Recently I was asked to consult at the bar for a two michelin star restaurant- a very well respected establishment with a great reputation. Apparently the whisky shelf was a little tired and they had asked that I come in to help revive things a little. I visited the venue and yes, it was clear not much love had been placed there with Jack Daniel’s the only American choice on offer and the usual suspects making up the numbers. However, being a French restaurant the Armagnac and Cognac range was outstanding but on closer inspection it turned out that they didn’t actually sell much of any of it. My plane was set out in three parts:
Train the staff on the current stock of whisky- highlighting “duplicate” styles and training them on how to push the up sell to these to clear the shelf of them.
Introduce replacement stock, again with another training session to ensue the staff had the correct tools to not only continue to sell the existing range but also the new additions
Return to the venue in 3 months for a refresher training course and to analyse how the sales have been.
Two page proposal, all aimed towards increasing whisky sales and maintaining a healthy GP, fee set low as it would be a fun project with a great bit of kudos attached. Result was a “Thanks but no thanks, we will leave it as it is”. I checked the proposal again and I hadn’t put too much in there for them to carry the project through themselves, the fee was below market value considering the gains from the end result and yet no, even a restaurant with a per head spend in excess of £100 could not see the value in whisky.
What ever happen to the “Auld Alliance“? Somethings will never change.
Recently The Whisky ExchangeWhisky Show took place at Vinopolis and as usual, many fine drams were on display. If you have never been, The Whisky Show is Britain’s, if not the worlds, best event on the whisky calendar and gives consumers and the trade the opportunity to meet with some of the big stars and fledgling drams as well as try food matching and whisky cocktails.
As an exhibitor, one of the “rules” is that you have to have on offer a bottle of whisky known as a “Dream Dram” which guests can try in exchange for tokens that are given as part of the ticket price. Some dream drams will see you part with quite a few of your tokens so choosing the right one is key.
There were some stunning examples available-but one for me stood out for more than a few reasons- The Balvenie Dream Dram. There is no actual official name for the whisky as it had been created just for the show but it had “Liberated Casks” penned on the side and it followed a similar make up to the famed Balvenie tun 1401 which I reviewed here recently.
Made from 6 selected casks, what I particularly liked about it was the use of more ex-bourbon cask rather than sherry butt.
The casks were a staggering collection of numbers indeed with the youngest over 37 years old!
Two 1975 ex bourbon cask
1974 Hogshead
1972 Hogshead
1970 ex-sherry butt
1963 ex sherry butt……
wait, lets just tally that up- 1963, that’s a 49 year old! The combined age of the whisky in this bottle was in fact 243 years old. Opportunity like this does not come along very often and it was a pleasure to taste.
The Balvenie “Liberated Cask” Whisky Show special.
ABV unknown
Appearance: Golden syrup with rose gold.
Nose: Buttered sweetcorn , almond paste, orange oil, toasted vanilla, creamy malt, light orange blossom honey, well fired morning rolls. There is very light spice of mace with peanut shells and marzipan.
Palate- More pronounced earthy spice with warm candied orange peel and honey. Bountiful drying fruit, toasted wood and light dusting of cinnamon compliment the nose.
Finish: Lingering and very complex. The lightest of sherry cask spice holding on to the end with hints of coffee through honey.
Summary: Possibly the outstanding whisky for me at he show and bang on in terms of style for my palate. The tun 1401 is a little heavier on the sherry weight which I think is too much of a departure from the classic style of Balvenie- where as this is a bulls-eye with the volume turned up.
Last week I was invited to pop along to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society to witness the reveal of Unfiltered Magazine in its brand new digital format for the iPad. Available on iTunes, the new format brings the magazine to life enticing readers to scroll through various editorial pieces and get interactive with great video content. Each edition will be an amalgamation from a few different Unfiltered magazine and is available to non-members of the society. The magazine in its original form was always a welcome addition to my post box as it is interesting read that appeals to all especially the whisky enthusiast. The app is free to download with single issues priced at £3.99. With the digital additions availability outside the society, I am sure they will see a quick uptake in membership this year.
I always find it strange when I go to these events and am introduced as a blogger because I never started out as one, and even now I associate my ramblings with just that, ramblings. Although judging by the number of monthly hits they get, perhaps other see it as something else. However, gathered within the upstairs members room at the society were real bonafide bloggers such as Billy Abbott,Whisky Squad and Whisky4everyone and as we waited for the grand reveal we were offered a rather splendid 38yr old Glen Moray which was simply outstanding- but most things born in 1974 are and despite numerous hints dropped to Jo McGirr, the manager of the London arm of the society, a bottle didn’t make it into my bag.
A short trip across the yard from the society is the Bleeding Heart restaurant which, as the name may suggest, is not a vegetarian restaurant and as they rolled out the Chateaubriand it was clear they didn’t cater for those with little appetite either! I am not a small person, but even I had to leave a little of my main course so generous were the portions- but it was only green bean and potatoes, the steak was long gone.
Throughout the meal, each course was paired with a whisky from the society, 76.91, 106.18, 129.1 and 53.168. Jo did very well in choosing each one to match with the food, although when it came to the Kilchoman (129.1) I think we all agreed it was a little lost with its youthful peat and didn’t quite fit. Although, the two outstanding pairings were the Mortlach (76.91) with the banana parfait pudding and the Caol Ila (53.168) with Epoisses cheese. Another evening showcasing great drams and how, if chosen well enough, they have every right to replace wine during a meal.
A nightcap you say? back at the society? Oh, go on then. We trotted back across the yard to try out two favourites- 26.86 “Massage in a Bottle” (Clynelish) and 2.81 “Black Tea in a Greenhouse” a 15 year old Glenlivet single cask first fill Ex-Sherry Butt. Simply incredible and a fine finish to the evening.
Well it would have been if Jo, who thought he would test our skills out at identifying a dram, decided to hand a glass of amber liquid over to Jason B Standing and said “Don’t smell it because you will know too easily, just drink it”. If only my curiosity and love of a challenge had stayed quiet, but no of course I said ” me too”.
Before I knew it, Jason had slugged and passed on to me for me to do the same, which I did. If only I had held off 5 seconds I would have seen the look on Jason’s face which would have told me to refrain- alas, the Naga chilli vodka from Master of Malt was already over my palate and rushing with an impossible fire to the centre of my body where it would spend the next 30 mins trying its best to ignite me from within.
Beer was the only answer to dowse the flames and luckily SMWS has a great selection. Next time Jo—it’s your turn.
Curious thing marketing, you either get most of it or not. The message trying to be delivered can often be lost behind an all too clever and interesting vail of subterfuge. Case in point was the recent invitation I was very pleased to receive for dinner with a friend and chef/blogger That Hungry Chef to The Cube by Electrolux, a pop up restaurant (big white box) atop the Royal Festival Hall which would host a select number of chefs from around the world for a limited period – all supposedly using products from the Electrolux kitchen range to create stunning dishes and ever varied menus. I don’t do food reviews, whisky is my thing normally but that is not to say I don’t appreciate it. After years running Axis restaurant at One Aldwych and many other notable venues, I certainly think I have as broad an appreciation for cuisine as I do alcohol.
On the evening of the booking, London chose to offer up to the 20 guests gathered at the long dinner table, the most glorious of clear blue skies which later, as the meal progressed became an ethereal summer sunset. The nights service sprung from the creative mind of Claude Bosi, owner and chef at Hibiscus in Mayfair. His style is elegant, uncomplicated and often fun as was the case this evening as the tasting menu was delivered along with a splendid selection of wines for each course. The only dish that disappointed, and I do mean disappointed, was the chorizo, garden pea and whelk creation just rather lacking on all areas for me really, except the freshness of the peas but the other “also ran” ingredients really didn’t do much more than add colour to the dish. But one of seven courses not hitting the mark for me is ok right?
Salmon poached in olive oil with pigs head.
The evenings tasting menu consisted of the following courses:
Hibiscus Flower ‘tea’, with a carbonated pineapple foam
Lime and onion ravioli, broad beans
English peas, chorizo, chickweed and girolles (This one could have been skipped off in my opinion)
Wild salmon poached in olive oil, pigs head, and roast artichoke
Chicken breast, Liquorice & Banana with Kaffir Lime
Charlotte strawberries, celeriac jelly and szechuan pepper foam
Pea & mint in a chocolate case with coconut sorbet
Aero chocolates: milk chocolate and coriander seed, white chocolate and mint to finish off with.
Although the Cube is three walls of glass and west facing, the temperature within is ideal and the set up perfect for making new friends. The communal dining arrangement means that from the outset you are involved in conversation with your neighbours and who knows what you will discover. For me, it was the incredible versatility of the barbecue as extolled by MartiniChef, Paul Feeney who is about to embark on catering at the Olypic media centre. Paul assured us that it was going to be a breeze in comparison to some of his other contracted work but we will see when we meet up for a cocktail in a few weeks time how he really fared.
I bang my drum about whisky being such a perfect substance for bringing people together and this event had all the elements to create the type of convivial atmosphere I relish. After the coffee and petit fours of aero chocolate and cocoa nibs I asked if it would be OK to share out the dram I had brought in my ever present hip-flask. An 18 year old Glendullan courtesy of the SMWS which made for an excellent end to a superb evening with its remarkable fresh character of light fruits and vanilla with lingering soft cinnamon aftertaste an overall vibrancy that belies its age. Unfortunately, Claude is allergic to whisky so couldn’t partake and the disappointment was visible on his face, but he did use his considerable Gaelic conk to draw the aroma in. After all, I had to get whisky in there somewhere!. Certainly there were a few at the table who had never tried such a whisky so it was lovely to see the reaction, especially after such a wonderful dining experience.
A room with a view
I had eaten at Hibiscus some time ago, too long ago to remember what dishes I had on that particular visit, but I do remember the food being as good as it was on this evening. The added element of the setting, and the personal attention of Claude throughout the meal made this quite special indeed. The Cube by Elextrolux is only running for four months, (June 1st – 30th September) and it is half way through its appearance already. It is well worth trying to get a reservation before it heads off to another destination.
So will it make me rush out to purchase Electrolux appliances? Doubt it, but I might think of Hibiscus when I next pass a blender in John Lewis. The fact is, we didn’t actually see the preparation of the dishes as most were brought out from the open kitchen and placed in front of us although we were offered the opportunity to chat with Claude in the kitchen as he plated up- strangely no one took the offer up. Perhaps the televisation of celebrity chefs has us all well warned.
There are things in life you purchase or do and you just know you made the right choice. You might have deliberated for quite some time before making the steps to create it or purchase it, but at the completion, you know it was worth it.
On a recent trip to Edinburgh, A friend of mine took me through the entire production history of Church’s shoes, an item I have long promised myself. They are not just shoes, they are the best shoes made in the world and the last remaining brand to be fully made in the UK. Although they are owned by Prada, the production remains in Northampton and none of the process is outsourced, unlike many of the other UK luxury shoe brands- even my beloved Grensons have part of the build take place in other countries.
Church’s was founded in 1873 by Thomas Church and his three sons Alfred, William and Thomas Jr., who could count on family experience in the production of handmade men’s shoes dating back to 1675. They were pioneers in shoemaking, actually creating the first pair of “left” and “right” shaped shoes and “in six widths in every conceivable style and material”
It takes over 8 weeks to create a pair of mens shoes, with over 250 manual operations taking place before it leaves the factory. A craft approach to the shoes which delivers exceptional quality and ever changing innovation.
I had to try a few pairs on to “experience” the history- and of course the pair I instantly took a liking to were the most expensive! The Shannon, in burgundy, made with horse leather….if it wasn’t for the £545 price tag, I would be wearing them now as I type this. All good things come to those who wait (and my friend does offer an amazing discount!).
If those shoes were in my possession now, I would have also worn them to the Savoy hotel today to taste the latest batch of the tun 1401 release from Balvenie.
The ‘tun’ is a marrying tank into which selected casks are emptied and held for a short period to integrate before being bottled, this being the 5th release. The first batch was released just at the distillery, the second made it on to the UK domestic market whilst Batch 3 hopped over to the USA and number 4 was only available in Travel Retail (Duty Free). The tun holds around 2000 litres so each release is quite limited and of course, each differs. This latest was from just 9 selected casks, 4 ex sherry butts and 5 ex bourbon. Each cask is hand pumped into the tun, using an original cast hand pump which is reputed to have been used by William Grant himself. It really doesn’t get much more authentic than this- the innovative ideas of the master distiller David Stewart connecting with the tradition and history of the distillery.
David, who is approaching his 50th year at Balvenie, and is the longest serving distiller at any Scottish (or the world) distillery, was making a rare appearance to discuss his selection process and final marrying of the 9 casks, the oldest of which was from 1966 with the rest from around the 70′s. Within this latest batch were whiskies between 21 to 46 years old. David is a pioneer of whisky and was in fact the individual who started to use sequential maturation in different wood (shifting whisky from one cask to the next to enhance flavour). A common practice these day is every distillery in the world, but before David had brought this innovation, it was unheard of – like left and right shoes!
Its all about hand crafting, personal selecting, careful nurturing and holding the whole process in house to ensure consistency and quality control. Fortunately, this bottle of skilfully crafted whisky will retail for £161, thats nearly three and a half bottles per pair of Church’s…bargain! If only I didn’t want both.
Balvenie tun 1401 Batch No.5
50.1% Non chill filtered
Appearance: Golden Copper with light virgin olive oil greenness.
Nose: Big honey, clove spice and trails of coca powder at first with the richness of the sherry butt coming through later. Lots of lively sappy wood and fresh fruits underpinned with rich citrus, cherry and molasses. Rolling around is an unusual (for Balvenie) waxy/carbolic notes with a floral element.
Palate: Huge chunks of spicy honey, rich cooked fruits and then a chocolate/coffee bitterness calms the sweetness to reveal those malty notes and a hint of smoke (some of the casks are old enough to show this historic character). Chewy wood notes of sweet maple and cedar.
Finish:Lingering sweetness of fruit perfectly balanced with bitter cocoa nibs and woody elements.
There are plenty of other similar ties with Church’s and whisky- like the use of oak to build the sole of the shoes, the continued innovation in technique, but above all its the craftsmanship and care that is put into producing each one. Something that will hopefully remain for a very long time. Or at least until I can afford them!
Apparently, the schoolchildren from the Orkney isles have a bit of trouble understanding that they are Scottish. They do know they are British, but it troubles their minds to comprehend they are Scottish such is the uniqueness of this cluster of islands just 10 miles off the north east coast. I suppose it is easily understood, after all it has had it’s fair share of ownership via Norway and the vikings using it as a bit of a stop-over for raids into Scotland and Ireland. It is certainly a checkered and interesting past with plenty of folklore and factual history to draw upon which is why the Highland Park distillery in Kirkwall is such an interesting one. Yeah sure, there are countless sites on the mainland with tales to tell but it seems to me that this wee corner of “Scotland” ticked along quite nicely without much interference from the mainland. Perhaps the ferry was too expensive for the excise man?
Nice then, that I got the chance to taste a bit of Orcandian history for myself in the form of the Highland Park 50 year old. It’s not a new release by any stretch, as the first bottles were available early last year- but at £10,000 per bottle there are few in the world lucky enough to taste it. I was happy to wait till now.
The oldest ever release from the distillery was given to us by Daryl Haldane, Highland Park brand ambassador and general nice guy- which is surprising as he is from Fife, which is not know for many happy people.
Nose: First notes are of heavy honey and rich maple with well polished leather, dried orange peel and new hide. A more perfumed element emerges of light clove and polished woods such as mahogany with a hint of brandy butter. Beyond all of this, a leafy green oil note emerges, similar to hop heads.
Palate: As expected, the palate is huge. Rich and chewy with those leather elements turning peppery then waves of the more prominent hop leaf again. The mid palate is nutty (almonds and brazil) with rich marzipan and a note of burnt plum. Surprisingly, the palate lifts towards the end with peppermint and fennel followed by liquorice.
Finish : Sweet and juicy soft liquorice takes over now allowing this massive dram to remain entertaining and offering a supreme lingering finish.
Normally a whisky of above average age is really hard to pull apart with the aromas and flavours so well integrated that they just merge into one. But the amazing thing with this is that even a couple of days after writing my initial notes and going back to try the last remaining dram the notes stand out incredibly. Every element is in there and each note rolls up to say hello in the most eloquent of fashions.
Only two venues in London stock a bottle, Dorchester Bar at the Dorchester and the newly opened Bulgari hotel, the latter of which is where we were fortunate enough to try this whisky. The bottle itself is said to be worth around £2,500, designed by jeweller Maeve Gillies, the solid silver casing that wraps around the bottle like a sinuous web of precious metal depicts all that is Orcadian. A visitor to the beautiful Orkney islands since a child, Maeve conveyed a natural and nautical theme in her Sterling silver bottle, evoking ropes, twisted seaweed and a metal finish that looked like it could have been a very old and precious object, discovered washed up on the beach. Set on the front is a disc of genuine Orcadian pink sandstone carved with Highland Park’s logo, sourced from the original quarry that built the incredible 12th century St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall. Behind this disc, viewable through the glass when the whisky has been finished, is an ethereal silver replica of the beautiful rose window inside the Cathedral.
The bottle is presented in a hand-carved Scottish oak box, also shaped to feel worn by wild elements, and set with a silver and glass porthole, through which the Highland Park logo on the bottle inside can just be viewed.
Each bottle is stamped with a silver hallmark, and in keeping with Highland Park’s policy of non sequential numbering, this one simply states 1 of 275 rather than bottle number one or two of 275.
So is it worth it? Well if you deduct the bottle price and look at the value of the liquid, then it isn’t an outlandish price for such a fabulous whisky. There are plenty others out there commanding far higher. Remember though, my rule for bottles with this kind of price tag, if you are going to buy it make sure you buy two- one to keep and one to share.
Now, at the end of the tasting session, (we also tried 12, 18, Thor and 21) I took a tour of the hotel and stopped off in the cigar room. This room is London’s only internal cigar room (its a loophole I can’t be bothered going into now- basically as shop) which is run by Davidoff cigar merchants on St James. I sat with Eddie, the son in the “father & son” operation and chatted about the comparison of whisky and cigars. Eddie then presented me with two beautiful cigars, which were hand rolled just two weeks prior. Alas, I couldn’t enjoy them in the lush surroundings as I had another tasting to dash off to- and I knew I might not give the other whisky a chance with HP 50 and a cigar on the palate. But I did ask about the cigars to add to the enjoyment later.
Eddie told me that they were the “Beaujolais” of cigars- to be enjoyed young and fresh. They had in fact been hand rolled just two weeks prior by Señora Dilia Hernandez who had arrived in the UK in May and was scheduled to attend various events and Habanos Specialists until her return to Cuba at the end of July. To enjoy them at their peak, they would have to be smoked within a week. I certainly wasn’t about to test that 7 day limit.
Señora Hernandez began her career in the cigar industry 20 years ago and has achieved the highest grade of cigar roller within the Cuban industry. Not only is she well respected, but Señora Hernandez also rolls cigar leaf in a traditional manner known as “entubado bunch” or entubar – a bunching technique which rolls each filler leaf into itself, almost like a small scroll. Each individually “scrolled” leaf is then placed together to form the bunch. This skillful rolling technique creates a more firmly packed cigar which allows air to travel between all of the leaves, carrying more aromatics/flavors to the palate. Entubado rolling is the most difficult and complex bunching method and is therefore rarely employed in large scale manufacturing.
I was now the proud possesor of two of these freshly rolled beauties and I can tell you, by the time the weekend was over, both had died a graceful death.
So from the oldest of whiskies to the freshest of cigars. Some would say it was quite a nice way to start the weekend.
and despite numerous hints dropped to 
