Whisky #4 - Happy Halloween, it's bright pumpkin orange, she said...

SHE SAID:  Day 3 of the whisky adventure continues and I'm touring Scotland.  It's Halloween.  A time for people to carve pumpkins, wander from door to door dressed up like zombies, witches and Justin Bieber (don't ask...)   I decided I would try and review a whisky that somehow represented Halloween in one way or another.  There isn't that many to choose from.  I could think of Devil's Punch Bowl or Devil's Cut, neither of which I have.



So I rummaged through the bottles we have on our whisky shelf and came up with: FETTERCAIRN FIOR.

There's a lovely story behind how we got this whisky. I was on the phone with a friend of mine (he manages a liquor store) and he was going through the list of whiskies I was thinking of ordering for our society.  We chatted while he checked what he had in stock and then he said: "Ever hear of Fettercairn"?  I had to think for a moment but answered no.  So he told me he had brought whiskies in from this somewhat obscure distillery in Scotland but that he was having a hard time selling it.  He was letting it go for a failry discounted price and did I want to try some? I hesitated and looked at the list of whiskies I had in front of me.  I didn't know this distillery.  And the fact that he was stating it wasn't flying off the shelves wasn't exactly a selling point either.  But, I thought to myself, what the heck.  The whole point of being in a whisky society is to ensure that we try ALL whiskies presented to us in one form or another.  So on a whim and a moment of  spontaneous whisky shopping I said:  "Sure, put a bottle in my order".

I didn't really think about again until we went to pick up the order. Graham pulled it out of the bag and said what's this? I stared at it for a few minutes as we examined the box.  "Nice packaging" I thought. Then I pulled the bottle out of the box and went "Whoa!" The color of the whisky just about made my eyes pop out.  It's almost red-orange and I had never seen a whisky that color before.  I was quite intrigued?  So I did what I normally do, opened it right on the spot. Once you pour it in a nosing glass it's just as dark, bright and orange as it is in the bottle.  Fettercairn Distillery is one of the oldest licensed whisky distilleries of Scotland.  One of the first to be opened after the Customs and Excise Act of 1823. In my opinion, that means it was one of the first to be "legal".  So where is this Fettercairn Distillery?  About half way between Aberdeen and Dundee.  In the "east" Highlands.  One of the few areas of Scotland I didn't get to see while touring there in 2007.

Like almost every other distillery in Scotland, it's been closed, burnt down, re-opened and has changed hands several times.  It was purchased by Whyte & Mackay in 2001. And even with the big guns buying it, it still remains a fairly unknown unless you are a whisky diehard.  Truth be known, 95% of what is made there goes into the company's line of blends.  However, they also have recently released a line of single malts, and this is where the "Fior" comes in.

FETTERCAIRN FIOR (No age statement), 42%ABV

Color:  Well this is a thick whisky, it coats the glass and sticks to the sides. Long legs, slow running.  The color can only be described as liquid pumpkin!  It's golden orange.

Nose: This grabs you by the nose and pulls you in.  I immediately get stewed prunes, very sweet in nature, with a hint of peaty smoke at the back.  After I added a bit of water it opens to vanilla but almost like a creamy toffee (MacIntosh Toffee).  A bit of citrus is also there, but not overwhelming in nature.

Palate:  Smooth whisky, chocolate covered coffee beans, a bit of spice like fresh ground nutmeg.  The smoke is back but not at the front, it's almost as you swallow that you catch it.  A bit drying in nature, oaky.

Finish:  It stuck with me for a little while.  At first I was having difficulty determining what the flavor was and then it hit me:  It was a spice I don't use often, anise.  Almost a light black licorice feel.

Empty glass:  Weirdly enough it reminded me of salt water taffy... ?


So, needless to say I really felt like I had found a gem!  Not many people know about this great little whisky and I certainly hope to keep it that way.  JUST KIDDING!   If you can find this in one of your local shops, the price is right!  It runs about $55 Canadian and from what I have seen that's about 35 in Europe.  If you are looking to try something quite different that will tease your palate, this is definitely one to have, especially for the price.

I'm happy I make snap decisions.  Sometimes they don't work out, this time it did.  Here's to unknown distilleries and great little whisky secrets.


On to the next Scotch!  See you tomorrow,


Whisky Lassie

Kentucky showdown! In this corner Whisky #2, Whisky #3 in the other, she said...

SHE SAID:  After having left the Canadian border behind me and saying goodbye to Dave and JF, I am on day 2 of my great two week adventure.  Where did I land: the lovely state of Kentucky where BOURBON is king!  I have to admit that I was not really big on bourbons, at least not the ones available in my hometown liquor stores and then I started going to whisky shows.  Well, an entire new line of whiskey was opened up to me and I've been enjoying them ever since.
A bit about the history, if you'll let me indulge for a moment. There are several conflicting stories, most unfounded as to the origin of bourbon.  The most credible of legends is that a Baptist minister (by day) and distiller (by night) named Elijah Craig was the first to age his distilled liquor in charred oak barrels.  However, like every other whisky story, there likely wasn't one person responsible for the creation of this whiskey, but more like an evolution of product.  Distilling probably arrived with the Scottish, Irish and other European immigrants in the late 1700's.  The use of maize (corn) and American Oak was likely what was available when they wanted to continue making their whisky.  It evolved and by the early 19th century, the whiskey became associated with the geographical area it was being produced in:  "Old Bourbon" which was partly the state of Virginia and most of eastern Kentucky (Bourbon County as we know it today).

Henry IV - First Bourbon King of  France

Bourbon bottle - 19th century

Bourbon, by the way, is named after the French Royal House of Bourbon (Booo-rrrr-bon) so not even closely pronounced in English to the way I would in French. In French, it sounds seductive, in English like something George W. Bush would say in his southern accent, Burrrbin (no offence to any Americans on that comment ;)  Just my personal opinion.

The biggest myth about bourbon:  It only can be made in Kentucky.  Total fallacy.  Mind you 97% of Bourbon Whiskies are produced near Bardstown Kentucky (population 11,000).  So I can see how that one could easily be misinterpreted.

Enough about that... so why did I pick two bourbons as whisky #2 and whisky #3, well it all started in June.  A fellow twitterer tweeted that he was standing in a Nova Scotia (Canadian province next to mine) liquor store and looking at a few bottles of Eagle Rare 10 year old.  I immediately replied with PLEASE get me one, to which he did.  This bourbon is not usually available in this area at all.  I'm glad he picked a bottle for me, it was quickly sold out.  Unfortunately, it took me 4 months to get to Halifax to pick it up.  I was on a work trip, had the chance to sit with Bruce, talk whiskies and thanked him profusely for saving the bottle for me for such a long period of time.  I bought a few more bottles while I was there that are not available home and I was content with my whisky haul.  After a really crappy week in Halifax (work and weather wise), we decided to take a break and traveled to Lunenburg (about an hour away and heaven!)  That night, we ate at our favorite restaurant (http://www.novascotiablogs.com/2010/10/rhubarb-relish---pickles-and.html). They make the absolute best Creole Peanut Soup or if you like something more "maritime'ish" fish cakes with rhubarb chutney.  

Oh but I digress (even if the food is truly that amazing!), later on that evening we decided to open the Eagle Rare.  I was so excited!  And then, I tasted it.  I didn't like it.  Not one bit.  How dissapointing.  So Graham said, let's open the other one.  I was skeptical after the first one, but like every good adventure, it's no fun if you say no to everything that comes your way.  So, we opened the Woodford Reserve and then I said ahhhhh!  Round one, Woodford Reserve lands solid right swing to chin, down goes Eagle Rare. After discussing what we thought and of course the differences we were noticing between the two whiskeys, our glasses were empty.  I really felt gyped as far as having spent almost $50 for a bourbon I didn't even like.  The Woodford's on the other hand was only $40.  Round two to Woodford's as well.  

A few weeks later when I was home watching the New England Patriots (yes I LOVE American football, my apologies to the "real footie watchers).  And I decided to give Eagle Rare a second chance.  I poured myself a dram and added water.  Nope, still didn't like the taste of this bourbon at all?  So then I added one ice cube and finally... found a way I can enjoy this bourbon.  Eagle Rare on ice is quite delightful.  Then again, I found out last night, that Woodford's ALSO tastes really good with ice.  More-so than Eagle Rare.  Round three, Woodford Reserve.  Then when I started doing a bit of research I found out that Eagle Rare in the US is available in some cases for as low as 16$.  I PAID $50!??  TKO for Woodford.  


TASTING NOTES  

EAGLE RARE SINGLE BARREL, 10 YEAR OLD, 45% ABV

Color: Not a very viscous whiskey and legs were plentiful but very skinny.  It is a beautiful honey gold, it reminds me of my topaz ring.

Nose:  Char, rancid nuts, lots of vanilla on the nose.  A bit of spice, but nothing to write home about.  I also get the feeling I'm smelling a tomato plant?

Palate:  So oily...  Left a film in my mouth. Very distinct oakiness to it. The rancid nuts are back but they are "pralined", really sweet. 

Finish:  What finish?  It was so short I don't think I got to taste it.  Slightly burny and fairly thin?  I was quite surprised and as stated disappointed. 

Overall from start to finish, this is not a complex bourbon at all.  From what I've since read about it, alot of people say things like:  It's a good bourbon for the price range.  Well, if I had paid $25 instead of $50, I might agree.  But for now, it's a basement bourbon that I might use to cook with, or maybe from time to time I might drink with a few ice cubes on a hot summer night. 

WOODFORD RESERVE, DISTILLER'S SELECT, 45.2% ABV

Color: Again not a very viscous whisky in the glass, and the legs are skinny and plentiful.  The color is almost a rich amber. 

Nose:  This one is a bit more earthy in nature and nice clear sweet smell of vanilla.  I can detect a faint smell of citrus at the back.  Quite floral once it sits for while and opens and when I added a bit of water, I could smell a bit of cocoa.
Palate:  Nice pepper feel, very mouthwatering. A minted toffee if that's all at possible.  Two flavors that came to me almost immediately.  A bit of water brought out leather.
Finish:  Very smooth, medium to long and the sweetness of the bourbon stayed with me for some time. Not much peppery on this one.  Can tell it's a nice balanced whiskey.

So, hands down the Woodford beat the crap out of Eagle Rare.  No matter how I try to put it, Eagle Rare will not be a whiskey I would buy again.  Would I recommend it?  It's fairly weak and not very complex so, if you can get it on the cheap or if someone gives you a bottle, have at her.  Would I suggest you seek it out?  Nope.  Not if you are looking for a "traditional" tasting bourbon. I can think of at least 3 other bourbons I would recommend for that kind of dollar value.

Woodford, I have since enjoyed several times since we've purchased the bottle.  It's delicious with barb-b-cued meats, on its own or with ice as a sipping whiskey.  Bourbon worth the $40, yes definitely.  I would recommend this to anyone looking to add a good bourbon in their collection that costs less then 50 dollars.

So there you have it, it wasn't much of a fight and the Eagle Rare ended up being a very poor contender against Woodford's.  Hope you enjoyed our little jaunt into the world of bourbons, onward and upward.  


See you on Day 3, we head across the Atlantic Ocean for some more whisky adventures and mischief.


I remain,

Canadian Whisky Lassie

Two guys, a girl and a rye, whisky #1 - Gibson's Finest Age 12 Year Old, She said...

JF, mon ami!

SHE SAID:  Well, here goes the adventure and wouldn't you know it I picked up these two on the trail.  There they were, just wandering around. One said I'm tasting/nosing Gibson's tonight and I went "hell ya" me too, then the other piped in and said can I join this party?  So it just so happens all three of us have something to say about #1 of my "15 whiskies in 14 days experiment". A bit about the writers: Jean François, but we call him JF, is also a Canadian blogger like myself who reviews whiskies but also more.  He is from my neighboring province of Québec, loves whisky as well as other beverages and writes an informative and great blog in both languages (English and French).  To see what he thought of Gibson's Finest 12 Year Old Canadian Whisky, please click here: http://www.whiskyplus.ca/en/reviews/whisky-en/rye_en/gibsons-finest-12-year-old/

Dave "imbibing"

Guy #2 is from across the Atlantic in England.  We will call him Dave, well because that's his name actually :)  He is also a blogger who loves whisky as much as I do (if that's at all possible).  He and his daughter Kat are on a whisky adventure together which I think is fantastic, quite the dynamic duo.  He was lucky enough to procure some of the Gibson's which is readily available in Canada but hard to find in the overseas market. I believe his quest to try Canadian Whiskies came as a result of a recent book he purchased called 101 whiskies to try before you die, by Ian Buxton.  The book is based on Ian's personal whisky discoveries and what he thinks are the best drams (not necessarily the most expensive) in the world that one should consider trying at least once before they die.  (My copy has been ordered :) To see what Dave thought of his very first Canadian dram of whisky, please click here: http://whisky-discovery.blogspot.ca/2012/10/whisky-discovery-219.html

And then there's me, the girl in this equation who thought it very important to start her journey here in her own country:  Canada.  

Growing up, I only recall one bottle of hard liquor in his cabinet:  Gibson's.  Saturday night ritual for him was to grab a bag of ketchup chips and dump them in a bowl.  Then he would start humming the hockey song and prepare his evening nightcap:  Gibson's 12 on ice with a splash of Coke.  He would then race into the living room, park his body into his olive green lazy boy recliner and ask one of us get up, turn the television and change the channel until we found Hockey night in Canada.  (That should tell you what year this was and yes I guess technically my brother and I were the remote control!?)  My dad would finish the whole bag of chips and usually would get up two, maybe three times to make another "rye and coke".  How truly Canadian.  "Rye" as we know it, is synonymous worldwide with Canadian Whisky.  You walk into any bar in the states and ask for a rye and coke, you will likely get whatever Canadian is behind the bar.  Of course at the age of 7 I thought it was vile stuff and I couldn't understand what my father liked about it.  All I knew was that after a few of these strange potions he would mellow out and not yell at the hockey game as much.

So Gibson's...   JF does a great job of covering a bit of the history about Gibson's and if you want more information about it, I suggest two things:  One, their website:  http://www.gibsonsfinest.ca and if you have a chance Davin de Kergommeaux's Canadian Whisky, the portable expert is fantastic at debunking the myths that surround Canadian whiskies as well as a great historical outlook on most of the distilleries.  Gibson's story is a fine chapter.  I do like how Dave compared this to a Scotch blend but with the twist of rye, which truly does make it an interesting dram.  For those of you who have never had rye it imparts a spicy flavor to whisky like white pepper or cinnamon.  It's very nice and quite distinguishable in a dram if you know what you are looking for.

So without further ado, my tasting notes for a very fine example of Canadian rye. Not expensive on the waller but very tasty in the glass.  Everyone should have a bottle of this in their whisky collection, if not to serve to the dad's of the world who watched hockey from their lazy boy recliners, clinking the ice cubes while screaming at the television.  Well, that's what my dad used to do, lol.  Here's to my dad's whisky!

GIBSON'S FINEST AGED, 12 YEAR OLD

Nose:  Very distinguishing rye spiciness.  This one in particular reminds me of dark rich earth on a warm day, almost like walking through the forest after a rain storm.  Very "organic" in nature.  A bit of nail polish remover at the back but with a sweet attached to it, like a creme caramel.  I do get a hint of sweet vanilla.  With a bit of water added, it opens to a softer sweetness but I really had to hunt for what I thought it was, it reminded me of standing in an apple orchard when the blossoms are full out.  

Palate:  Such a typical spicy whisky, I can taste a gingery or hot cinnamon type of spice.  A bit of bitterness of a pink grapefruit, sweet but makes the back of your mouth sort of stand to attention.  It's very tannic in nature.  Once I added water, it becomes a bit oilier in nature, and very recognizable flavors of wood appeared.

Finish:  Still quite spicy in nature, more citrus pith (almost like a palate cleaner containing lemon peel).  I would say this has a small-medium finish.  

It doesn't stay with you for long, and I really had to work at this one, especially after I added water.  One afternoon, I let it sit for almost a full hour and then went back to it.  I found this very helpful as far as getting so much more on the nose from it.  However, most people would not let their whisky sit for an hour before they drink it.

So thanks Dave and JF for coming on this short little adventure with me and thanks for ascertaining a very good Rye.  If you haven't tried Gibson's I suggest you do, soon!

On my way to whisky #2, I remain...

The whisky lassie

15 whiskies - 14 days, she said...

SHE SAID:  I love to challenge myself.  It's part of always staying sharp and never being bored.  On twitter lately there's been so many photos and discussions of samples and how they are on desks, boxes, in drawers and "taking over". I started looking at my own mini collections of whiskies and quickly realized that mine too seem to be multiplying like rabbits?  Where did all these sample bottles  come from?  

Oh wait, I know the answer to that.  So, for me (Miss Project Manager) it became a no brainer.  Some of these samples need to go.  Not all, but  some.  There are a few I will hold on to for just a little longer because they are rare or special.  So, the first part of deciding to do this was choosing what I would review and in what order.  That in itself seemed like a massive undertaking.  Then I started to wonder if I was crazy, was I taking on too much?  Was I seriously going to be able to nose/taste, review and write about 15 whiskies in 2 weeks?   Well, there's only one way to know for sure:  DO IT!

Courtesy of Malt Maniacs Website

Here is your chance:  I have 10 chosen from every corner of the whisky fabric.  That means 5 left to consider and pick.  So weigh in, what do you think?  I have almost 100 bottles in my whisky collection and would love to see what some of you might put forward as a suggestion. 

So think about it and if you feel like giving me your two cents worth, please do.  Either way, the blogging experiment starts Monday October 29th.  Hope you stay tuned.

Getting my nose warmed up for aromas, my fingers nimble for typing and my palate ready for tasting.  

I begin yet another journey on the whisky trail, 

Sincerely, 

Rocky... errr I mean Whisky Lassie.

When fear of getting it wrong trumps trying, she said...

SHE SAID:  Maybe it's my personality, or maybe it's because I fear little in life.  I tend to conquer my fears.  Might embarrass myself when I reveal this but I had a deep seeded fear of worms right up until my 40th birthday.  Yes, WORMS.... One of my birthday cards stated "do something that scares you, every day".  So not long after, while I was walking to work there were worms everywhere on the sidewalk. I sidestepped quickly but stopped, turned around and went back. With a knot in my stomach, I bent down and picked up a worm.  It was disgusting, it felt absolutely slimy and I probably squirmed more that it did.  BUT, after I dropped it, I walked to work that day with the overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.

On Sunday October 14th, I watched a man named Felix Baumgartner become the only person to jump from 128,100 feet, free fall until he hit Mach 1.24, pop a parachute, float safely to the ground and LIVE.  Makes my worm story look even more silly :)  I sat with knot in my stomach as I watched him stand on the edge looking at the world below him, I can't even begin to imagine what fears he might have had.  There was a high probability he might go into a vertical spin and pass out, that a myriad of technical issues happen, all of which would end in death.  All this, on live feed.  I was potentially watching someone jump to their death. He, on his end, was willing to take the chance that he might get it right vs everything that could go wrong.

So where am I going with all this, how could this be possibly related to anything whisky:  Worms and jumping from outer space??   Here is how I see this all be related.  Most whisky newbies seem to experience FEAR.  Fear of judgment, looking stupid, being seen as inexperienced or worse being wrong.  I've experienced it.  Sitting in a room with Graham, his dad and friends. Everyone with a good dram in hand, including me and them saying they smell pears, mint and vanilla custard.  Whisky taste smooth, creamy with hints of chocolate and oranges, meanwhile with my nose in glass I smell "burning".  I've heard new members to our society nervously say:  "I don't know anything about whisky except what I like and don't like so I probably won't say much".  Fear of speaking up, fear of looking like an idiot, fear of getting it wrong.  Wrong?  Who is to say what you smell or taste is wrong. My twitter friend Alwynne Gwilt, the lovely "Miss Whisky" wrote an excellent article recently about how we smell and taste:  http://misswhisky.com/2012/09/29/how-do-you-taste-and-smell-whisky/.  

The nose can smell up to 10,000 different "olfactory" experiences.  The brain remembers these (crazy chemical reaction takes plan in the Limbic system) and files them away which is why I can smell a whisky, be transported back to a cold Halloween night when I was 10 and the sudden memory of "hot tamales" cinnamon candy hits me right on the spot. The stubborn part of me can spend 15-30 minutes chasing a smell in my Glencairn, because I KNOW I have identified it before.

Knowing how some people feel and also accepting that not everyone feels comfortable simply saying what they think, we make it a point at our society tastings to sit people in a way that promotes discussions in small groups.  It is always fascinating to me that at the beginning of the year we can watch the newbies sit, sniff, taste and listen intently to what is taking place in the room.  Then, it magically happens:  I will purposely travel around the room asking people what they think, if they pick up certain smells, encouraging people to speak up.  I re-discovered rubber inner tube one night when someone brand new to our society spoke up and had the courage to say: "I don't smell anything but a new inner tube for my bike".  We embrace and encourage to say whatever comes to mind when you are nose first in your Glencairn.  By the third tasting of the year, the presenters can barely be heard over the din of discussions taking place and I LOVE that. Our members develop a confidence in simply trusting what their nose and brain tells them they are smelling and tasting. Ever smell "circus" midway in a glass?  One of our members did and once he said that, about 10 other people recognized that as well and you could see light bulbs going off in their heads. It's truly an amazing journey to watch and experience.

So my next point of discussion is how does one practive nosing/tasting?  For me, it has always been to take part in as many blind tastings as possible.  I encourage others new or experienced to do the same.  Exercising the nose is so important and blind nosing/tasting allows me to concentrate on nothing but my abilities.  I recently finished two blind competitions which I truly enjoyed participating in.  One, a twitter led competition with Femke (Girl_Whisky): http://whiskygirl.nl/, with whom I have traded samples and follow on twitter.  It was interesting and I mostly got everything wrong, but I didn't care because the outcome was all positive.  I did a twitter tasting with many friends I respect and enjoy chatting about whisky with. I tried whiskies I never would have otherwise and it reinforced certain skills that I felt confident in.  She is having a second one in January, if anyone is interested.  Find her on twitter at @Girl_Whisky and I'm sure she will give you more information.

Mac & Cheese - yum?!

The second one was to be done at your own pace, which I preferred.  My samples arrived a few days before our Canadian Thanksgiving.  I happened to be home alone that night with no kids or hubby. Just me, my special supper, some Patriots football and my five colored samples. About an hour after supper and plenty of water to eliminate all traces of macaroni and cheese (no turkey for me, sigh...) I began with one sample and took my time nosing/tasting each one.  I revisited the samples the next day after work and noted more thoughts.  By Tuesday I had settled on my guesses and sent them off to Oliver (our host).  Thursday, he revealed the winner as well as what whiskies he had sent us.  

Black sample

I am brave enough to post what my guesses were.  I rated the black sample as the best. I though was from Scotland, Aberlour, big sherry, didn't give it an age statement and said it was 60%.  Come to find out it was a Highland Park, Banyuls Finish 21 at 50.3%.  This was the most popular sample, so I guess I got that right, at least.
Next for me was the yellow sample.  It was fruity in nature, fair amount of vanilla.  It "reaked" of a North American.  So I guessed Van Winkle, 12 yr old, from USA with a 43% ABV.  Well, I was close, sort of.  It was a Canadian, to which I will add that YOU CAN'T GET IN CANADA and one of the few I had never been able to try. (Ironic somehow that the sample came from Germany, but very happy to have tried it since I enjoyed it second best).  It was: Pendleton Whisky, NAS, 40%. It ranked as third favorite.  My next preferred sample was the red, I enjoyed it.  It was young and I could smell a distinct indicator for me which is rum raisin ice cream.  I pondered this one for a while.  I had no clue, so I guessed:  Scotland, Auchentoshan Valinch, NAS, 57% ABV.  Not even close (lol!).  It was Czechoslovakian - Hammerhead, 1989 and 40.7%. It placed 2nd to my 3rd.  Then came green:  WINE! Syrupy and way too sweet for me.  I had a hard time tasting it.  I guessed Scotland, Benromach 2000 Marsala, 45%.  NOPE...  It was a French whisky, made with buckwheat.  Eddu Silver NAS, 40%.  It also came in 4th.

Last but not least the blue whisky which I liked the least as did everyone else.  This is where I come back to a previous statement that I discovered inner tube bicycle tire, well "there" it was in this sample.  Industrial, rubber tire, sooth and smoke. WTF?  I was perplexed.  No clue, so I guessed:  Port Elen 1982, 43%.  This time I was a bit closer, well in age and ABV at least. It was a Japanese, Isawa 1983 at 43%.  Fluke, or was I improving?  Who knows.

I didn't care that I didn't win the competition BUT here is what I took away from this exercise: I was able to identify many of the same flavors as the other participants.  I just about had the order the same (as the majority) and I knew one for sure was North American.  My ABV's were a bit off, but for a few not that much.  Overall, I think I did fairly well.  Later on in the week I was tweeting about the blind tasting and one of the guys (who has way more experience tasting and blogging about whisky than I do) said: "Oh, I'm not good enough to do Oliver's competitions" which let me flabbergasted?  It seems no matter how much experience some people might have under their belts, the confidence to simply say what one smells and thinks is still too much of a barrier to let loose and consider putting themselves out there and risk being wrong... Hence how I got to this blog.  I guess I should be very thankful that my parents never promoted or sheltered me from my fears.  Fear of drowning - I got swimming lessons.  Fear of the dark, my dad took me to a graveyard at night.  Fear of public speaking, well actually I don't ever recall having that fear.  I've spoken publicly since grade 2 when I was the third angel in the Christmas play and I got to say 4 words. :)

Third Angel Performance - Dec 1972

I hope many of you who read this blog will be tempted or at least consider to try blind tastings, at least once.  If not in a group or twittersphere environment, then at home.  Ask a friend to participate with you or your spouse/partner.  Get them to go to your whisky cabinet, pour you a dram and have fun simply guessing what it is.  Conquer that fear of the possibility of being wrong.

Because frankly, if I can pick up a worm after 35 years of having an overwhelming fear of them and some guy can jump and free fall from space at Mach 1.24 I'm sure some of you can nose/taste a whisky and simply enjoy the fact that all you have to do is "guess" what you think it might be.

On yet another wonderful whisky adventure, this time detouring through the black forest of Germany with my friend Oliver Klimek (www.dramming.com)  Thanks Oliver :)




I remain,

The Whisky Lassie :)

Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve - an Autumn release and then some, She said...

SHE SAID:  For those who read my blog regularly you must know by now how much I love a certain Canadian whisky distillery:  Forty Creek.  I can't help it.  I sometimes think my friends feel like I'm that reformed smoker who loves to preach the greatness of anti-smoking to current smokers.  Prior to tasting the Forty Creek line in 2009, there were very few Canadian whiskies I would even ascertain trying, let alone buying. John Hall opened my eyes to a new avenue of whisky that I refused to believe existed.  The rest, as they say is history.  Now my collection has many wonderful bottles of some of the best Canadian Whiskies on the market. So back to Forty Creek: Like every other master distiller in the world, John Hall works very hard at maintaining the quality of his award winning whiskies while developing new products.  And as always, he delivered.  For 2012 and his annual Whisky Weekend he revealed a new Forty Creek: Copper Pot Reserve.   It couldn't have come at a better time.  

Fall here in Canada is one of the most beautiful times of the year.  People from around the world flock to our country to experience the cool morning air, warm sunny afternoons and the long shadows the sun blankets us with.  The red maple leafs, yellow birches and copper oak leaves are abundant and breathtakingly beautiful. I am in awe every year as the transition from summer to fall takes place.  Out come the warm wool socks and gloves and the fall/winter whiskies too!  The rich, more full bodied whiskies get pushed to the front of my whisky shelf and the summer ones fade to the back. It only seems befitting that Forty Creek released the Copper Pot Reserve at this time of year.  The bottle has an orange hue and golden highlights.  The elixir within a rich deep golden amber to match.

One of the great things about John: Although he is a trailblazer in his craft, he doesn't settle for anything less than perfect details when it comes to making his whiskies.  John takes corn, rye and barley but DOES NOT create a mash.  Instead he distills each grain separately in a traditional copper pot still. Forty Creek has two small copper pot stills on site and John believes and swears by the fact that each pot has its own personality which imparts character to the whiskies. I like that.  It's truly what I think being Canadian is all about.  We don't aim to look like everyone else and to be "Canadian" means we are all individuals with our own personalities and character.  We may not be the best or the biggest and that's just great for most of us.  No wonder I like Forty Creek so much, it is the "new" Canadian whisky.  So enough of the O Canada anthem (sorry...). I will get off my soap box and tell you what I thought of this dram.  I sampled Copper Pot Reserve three times seriously and then just as a sipper on a cold night while I was relaxing and enjoying a quiet couple of hours home alone. This dram has such a wonderful warmth that on all four occasions I felt this glowing and content feeling after finishing it.  Very satisfying, full bodied and spicy. 

I think releasing this at 43% ABV was a great idea.  There is a soupcon of Forty Creek Barrel Select but Copper Pot Reserve is MAGNIFIED in amplitude of aromas and especially flavors.  This is a bolder version and yet another great example of how John dares to think outside the Canadian whisky box to create something that is exciting, different and surprising.

A Danish blogger friend of mine was in Canada this summer and I helped arrange a tour and visit to the distillery (Thanks Tim!).  I contacted Steffen as soon as I received my bottle of Copper Pot Reserve and asked if he wanted to try it:  YES!  Was the resounding answer heard across the Atlantic.  So a sample was sent and he nosed, tasted and reviewed it.  He rates his whiskies and gave it an 86 out of a 100.  Not bad at all, if I do say so myself...   

Here is is website in case you would like to read what he thought:

http://danishwhiskyblog.blogspot.ca/

FORTY CREEK COPPER POT RESERVE, 43% ABV, Released September 2012

COLOR:  Golden sunshine in a glass.  Hues of deep amber with flickers of orange.  When my glass was coated it was somewhat viscous and the legs although plentiful slow to travel down the glass.  

NOSE:  Peppery!, Very nice level of spice.  A sweet butterscotch creaminess, and then it hit me.  Kraft Caramels I used to get in my Halloween bag! WHOA! I let that memory sit for a moment.  At the back I could detect some very bitter grapefruit pith.  Once I added water, it tamed a bit of the spice and black cherries or rich black berries (very sweet) appeared.  The water opened another familiar fall item of my childhood:  Date squares.  

PALATE:  The spice grabs your whole mouth so hold on!  Nice mouth watering feel and explosion of flavors immediately.  Cloves and a handful of cinnamon candies. Or maybe closer to the hot tamales candy I also use to get at Halloween, fiery! Once I added the water it toned down the spicy and a beautiful flavor of dark cocoa and bitter oranges came to the forefront.  If Terry's Chocolate Orange made one with dark 85% cocoa and Seville oranges - This is what it would taste like I'm sure of it.

FINISH: So sweet.  I had anticipated a long lingering burn because of all the spiciness on the nose and palate, but got just the opposite.  The burn was there: instantaneous on the swallow BUT then this glorious silky sweet finish took over and lasts.  Whiskies that have grain usually give me heartburn, I blame it on the rye...  This one did give me a bit of an issue later on, but not on the onset.  

EMPTY GLASS:  So sweet, almost bourbon like.  Next morning (second sample especially) reminded me of maple sap with a hint of vanilla.

John Hall has successfully created yet another interesting and complex whisky that will be enjoyed by the die hard Forty Creek fans as well as people experience whiskies from this distillery for the first time.  Being released in Ontario first (September) then the rest of Canada as winter approaches.  Cost $28.45.  Value for money - YES.  Nice sipping whisky - YESS.  Forty Creek brilliance in a glass - YESSS!  (Sorry, I'll stop screaming from the soap box now.)  The point is if you want to sip a warm whisky on a cold autumn afternoon, I would strongly recommend you consider getting a bottle of this.

On the fall whisky trail, enjoying the crisp autumn mornings and the late warm evening drams, I remain...



Whisky Lassie