Whisky that crosses many borders, literally... She said

Dot, Bob and Cis (LOVELY whisky people)

SHE SAID:  Ahhhh France.  The land of pain au chocolat, romance and wine.  I'll take the pastries and the romance.  Move over wine, here comes French whisky! I reviewed a bottle a few weeks ago.  It was different, kept morphing in my glass, even more so after I added water.  It was a quirky and fascinating little whisky that kept me chasing aromas and flavors.  When I wrote about it in my blog, a fellow whisky enthusiast contacted me and kindly "reminded" me there was a brand new French whisky on the market and that he had just purchased a bottle.  Just so happens, he also introduced me to the one I had blogged about.  I've written about Bob and his two lovely aunts before.  They enjoy dramming together as often as they can.   

On a recent trip to New Hampshire for my birthday I contacted Bob to see if there was a possibility for us to meet up and there was.  He, Dot and Cis arrived on my birthday, presents in hand:  Birthday card, birthday balloon and a whisky spread fit for a birthday girl.  I couldn't have had a better birthday present!  Bob was kind enough to bring many delicious whiskies from his own personal collection including the one this post is about.  

Brenne - Rhymes with Men

Bob Caron was lucky enough to get a bottle of the newly released Brenne French Single Malt Whisky. This is whisky but with a fruity twist.  The first difference is that it's 100% organic barley grown in the region of Cognac, France.  Second difference: It's twice distilled using Alembic stills (the kind used to create Cognac).  Once distilled, it ages in new French Oak and then it's finished in, what else, Cognac casks. Once aged, it's bottled from single barrels, never blended. For more information or to find out how you can get your bottle, www.drinkbrenne.com  

So this brings me to the exciting part of my blog.  Bob Caron is fairly new to the whisky fabric, in the sense that he knows what he likes, doesn't blog and has been enjoying whisky for less than 5 years.  When we sat down together in New Hampshire, we all enjoyed the Brenne's and discussed at length what we thought.  Bob's nose/palate were dead on and we all had very similar thoughts with regards to the whisky. When Graham and I got home, we unpacked and discussed our trip.  Bob was also kind enough to send us home with each a 50 ml sample, to which I drank mine almost immediately.  I tried to bribe Graham a few days later for his, no dice!  Bob sent some really great photos of our afternoon and that's when I thought, why not ask Bob to guest write on this post with me.  I asked, he accepted, I was happy.  I think people like Bob have much to share when it comes to their experiences.  They may be fairly new to the whisky journey but they are a refreshing addition, especially when you meet someone who has a great nose and palate, such as I believe Bob has.  

So, I am proud to introduce Mr. Bob Caron, my first guest writer.

" I shared the Brenne with family members and was immediately struck by the sweet smelling and very fruity nose. As we struggled to puzzle out what all these fruit notes were, we came up with apple, banana, pineapple, orange, and pear. We even got the non-drinkers involved with the nosing. My mother was quite amused with that. I don't think she has ever stuck her nose in a whisky glass before. The taste has the same barrage of fruit and maybe not quite as sweet as the nose
would lead you to believe.

Finally, we realized that this fruity mix when viewed as a whole can be more easily described in one word: Bubblegum. Yes, like Bazooka Joe or those sticks that used to come with baseball cards when I was a kid.  I was thinking that this was something totally different that I never encountered in a whisky before but later realized that it's the same familiar and essential component of many other whiskies with a fruity nose. In this case, it's just isolated. 

I discovered this when I decided to add some to a dry, malt forward whisky with little to no fruity profile. The addition of the Brenne was magical and transformed the other malt into something resembling a fruity Speysider. The bubblegum character disappears but now you suddenly understand where those fruity notes come from and what they are like if they were

stronger. This is a whisky to keep around, not only for its unique profile but for what it can do to rescue one of your not-so-favorite bottles languishing on your shelf. 

Just like my bottle of Peat Monster, I think my Brenne is something I will enjoy as the atomic bomb that it is but keep it close by as a tactical weapon in my arsenal. "   

Bob Caron, New Hampshire USA - November 14, 2012

As for me, here is what I thought:

BRENNE FRENCH SINGLE MALT WHISKY, 40% ABV

Color:  Straw gold.  Very long and syrupy legs.  Quite viscous in nature and legs are plentiful.

Nose:  A fresh tropical salad:  Bananas, green grapes, kiwi, pineapple, peaches and oranges with a big dollop of vanilla bean pudding.  I could see how Bob smells bubblegum, I can think back to a few types I chewed as a child, very fruity and sweet.  Unlike a few other whiskies I have recently tried, Brenne's fruitiness does not seem artificial.     

Palate:  Smooth, silky and very mouthwatering.  Nice level of complex spices spring up right away:  Nutmeg, a bit of anise and some lovely cinnamon (but it's subdued not overwhelming).  There's a bit of creme caramel in this as well, quite a creamy/buttery taste.

Finish:  From start to finish, this is fruity.  There's a hint of wine acidity on the swallow but it's not unpleasant (a bit tannic).  The finish is short/medium.  Again, just a hint of cloves.  

Brenne's brings a satisfying feeling to a well balanced sipping whisky.  When the five of us sipped at it on my birthday, it promoted wonderful conversations, stories and considering we didn't know each other that well it was a fantastic ice breaker. I can easily see myself handing this out at a Christmas party to all my friends.  It's something I feel everyone would enjoy, discuss and relax while drinking.  I can't think of a better way to enjoy a good whisky.  

Cheers to Allison Patel on a job fantastically done!  If you are looking to add something new to your whisky collection just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I strongly recommend you have this one hand to share with your loved ones.  

Brenne's is truly is a special and completely different single malt experience to be shared.  

Now, if I could only talk Graham into giving up his sample?!  Sigh...

Sur la piste de whisky français, je suis la belle "Lassie"....

The Great Outdoors and Bowmore...He says

He Says...I love the great out-doors! I am fortunate enough to have grown up in an area where days as a kid were spent exploring the woods, streams, peaks and valleys of my “big backyard.” I have grown up with a strong appreciation and respect for the environment and all it has to offer. I am most at ease outside, whether it is a day hike with Johanne and the dogs, sailing up-river or munching on a carrot out of the garden in the backyard.

Snowshoeing on the frozen river

I am also of the opinion that whisky tastes the best outside. People are often surprised when I pull out a bottle in the middle of a hike or next to the campfire, maybe because I have so much reverence for whisky that they are surprised when I’m just drinking to enjoy instead of writing tasting notes or analyzing what’s in my glass. In fact I find those who are most likely to have a dram outside are the least whisky geeks among us.  Too often the “Peat-Heads”, the Sherry-Bomber” and anyone else who falls under the umbrella of “whisky-geekisms” try to put whisky under a microscope. We forget that whisky is a beverage that is meant to be enjoyed! It is often savored, of course, but ultimately enjoyed; it is just a drink after all. Outdoor whisky just tastes better! One of our favorite winter activities is snowshoeing.  As many of you know Johanne and I have to large dogs and we have miles of trails within minutes of our house. One evening last winter we invited another couple, that are also quite enthusiastic about the occasional dram, out for a late night hike through the trails and rolling hills of the local park.  After about 45 minutes we stopped on a little bridge over a bubbling brook. We were standing under a bright moon and a clear sky full of stars. As a surprise I reached into my pack I produced four small glasses and a slightly peated island whisky that I thought would pair nicely with the ambiance. We used a dash of water from the brook and it seemed to set the perfect tone of appreciation for our surroundings and joy that comes with shared experience with friends. For me that is what whisky is all about!

Whisky is not sterile or artificial. It’s a beautiful drink made up of materials from the environment (aka the Great Outdoors!). Water from springs and local burns, barley from the fields and peat from the bogs is all reflected in the final product. There seems to be a renewed appreciation of exactly how important all of these elements really are which is reflected in products like Bruichladdich’s Organic release and Islay Barley and others. So in a way, enjoying a dram outdoors is simply completely the circle (OK, so full completion would come from a quick trip to the bushes after a few drams but I wasn’t going to go there).

Knowing how much I enjoy “outdoor whiskies” it was slight serendipitous that a group representing Bowmore's latest contest contacted us. They have offered a small token of Bowmore “swag” for us to do as we please with in return for promoting this contest. The contest is to win the “Ultimate Bowmore Adventure.” The grand prize is a trip for two to Islay! 

The Bowmore website describes the prize: “this trip will be the ultimate outdoor lovers adventure around Islay." After experiencing all the outdoors can throw at you its back to the Bowmore distillery to enjoy your reward. Highlights of your trip will include:

•  Dawn Islay photography master class with Colin Prior

•  Construction of a hide with Ken Hames

•  An overnight expedition to the island of Scarba

•  Foraging for lunch 

•  VIP tour and an in-depth tasting at Bowmore including some very 

   special expressions”

If this sounds like something that interests you then I direct you to http://www.bowmore.com/news/bowmore-ultimate-adventure/ to fill out the information and describe what the out doors means to you!

Since Bowmore and Yomego (the company managing the contest) have been kind enough to send along a bag of goodies I figure we will pass them on to you (Honestly I have no idea what is in this bag because it hasn’t arrived yet)! 

Leave a comment on this blog or on Twitter with the hashtag #outdoordram naming your favorite whisky to be enjoyed outdoors (Bowmore or not ;) ) ! We’ll take all of the names under that hash tag and on this blog and make a draw when the Bowmore contest closes. Enter with us as often as you like and we’ll keep adding your names.

Thanks for reading and I hope you’ll consider packing a flask the next time you decide to go for a hike, you just might find a new appreciation or perspective for a dram you’ve always enjoyed or a brand new one you have yet to try. Just be responsible and as always, enjoy! 

**UPDATE November 30** The Bowmore swag has arrived! Knowing how much Bowmore and the Canadian Maritimes are so closely linked to the sea they have sent us a gift pack fit for just that. The pack includes a Bowmore glass, an inner core lock (which I suspect might double as a keychain?) as well as a shellfish "shucking" knife and wooden holder (to keep the slippery oysters and scallops from slipping from your grip) all emblazoned with the Bowmore logo of course.

Their contest ends December 14 so, so does ours! Stay tuned and enter often to win!!  

Bye bye Bailey's, here comes Forty Creek Whisky Cream Liquor, she said...

SHE SAID:  Nobody panic!!?! There are only 29 shopping days left until Christmas 2012.  If you are going to be having an ugly Christmas sweater party or simply entertaining I highly recommend you run to your liquor store and get Forty Creek Whisky Cream which is available in Ontario and New Brunswick right now.  It should be available in most provinces in the spring of 2013 with a few exceptions (Québec for one, sorry!).  

I love the story behind how this was created. A few Christmas's ago John Hall's wife of 40 years, Eileen, brought home a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream Whisky for the holidays.  John saw it in the liquor cabinet and could not believe his eyes.  Mrs. Hall defended herself by commenting: "It's just not Christmas without a bottle of Irish Cream John".  John, in his usual ability, decided he could do better.  He made up his own homemade version and that's how Forty Creek Whisky Cream came to life.  What is in the bottle today is a refined version of that original recipe.  When you look at international whisky sales, Irish whiskey is dwarfed by the sales volume of Canadian whisky yet there wasn't one Canadian distillery making a whisky cream liquor.  So yet again, John was an innovator and as a result created the first one made with Canadian whisky and fresh Ontario cream.

Until this existed, I too had the proverbial bottle of Bailey's in our liquor cabinet.  So when my Forty Creek arrived I opened it immediately:  At work.  It was my lunch hour and a Friday.  I sit off in a corner by myself where most can't see me.  I stared at the box for no more than 5 minutes before I broke down and opened it.  I twisted the cap off and took a long whiff.  My mouth watered.  It smelled delicious. I did something I had never done before: I went over to the water cooler, grabbed a Dixie cup and poured myself a small dram.  Lovely I thought to myself as I sat at my desk with my feet up and that's when my co-worker Dave came around the corner.  
BUSTED! I giggled and tried explaining what I was doing (like it needed any explanation).  He sat on the corner of my desk smiling and listened to me talk about Forty Creek.  Then he did something that surprised me.  He went and got a Dixie cup and came back to my desk?!  I poured him some whisky cream and we sat sipping away together.  He liked it so much he said he was going to buy some right after work to take home to his wife.  I said, well it's coming to New Brunswick but not for a little while yet.  "Where can I get it now?" he said as he pushed his Dixie cup forward without hesitation.  "Ontario", I answered as I poured another couple of drams for both of us.  He thanked me for the mid afternoon treat and went back to his desk.  I put everything away and went back to work.  (AND this is where I insert a disclaimer that no driving or operating of any heavy machinery took place within 4 hours of the 2 oz drams we ingested, :) 

About 20 minutes later he poked his head in my cubicle and said with a big Cheshire cat grin:  "I've got a case coming next week".  I stared at him for a moment and said: "What?".  "Yup, my brother lives in Mississauga.  I just called him at work, told him to pick me up a case and bring it down when he comes home for a visit next week.  Thanks again.  I can't wait to surprise Barb" and off he went again.  

I laughed out loud for a moment but then it hit me: I loved it that much and so did Dave.  What would happen if I did a little bit of an experiment and put it head to head in a blind tasting against Bailey's Irish Cream?  Graham and I had two upcoming parties we would be attending and I also had a few more ideas I wanted to try.  
I immediately began planning my social experiment.  I called our hosts and explained what I was trying to accomplish; they thought it was a great idea.  I also contacted a few fellow bloggers and sent them a sample to try as well.  The first party we attended was a bunch of our friends that we sail with.  I set up a table in their living room with 25 samples of the Forty Creek and the same for the Bailey's.  I asked people to simply choose which of the two tasted the best, sample A or sample B and they could add comments if they liked.  After about an hour I went to check and all the samples were gone.  I did the same at the next party I was at as well.  The three fellow bloggers also put on their own little experiment and got back to me with their results (UK, USA and Alberta).


37 people total took the challenge. 29 preferred the Forty Creek.  That's 78.4%.   4 of the 8 who chose Bailey's stated they liked it better because it didn't taste like coffee (something all 4 disliked in general), one said the Bailey's wasn't as harsh and 2 people stated they preferred the sweeter nature of Bailey's.  The last person surveyed said they liked neither.  

Some of the comments on Forty Creek:  Caramel macchiato yumminess, NOT my mom's Irish cream, Creamy with a kick at the end, Delicious and warming.  After the reveal most were surprised and a few asked if it was more expensive then Bailey's.  "Nope, same price", I smiled.  My job here is done!

My bottle made it home but barely as the host was convinced he should keep it.  Graham and I have tried this several ways to the point my first bottle is almost empty (I bought two more at the NB Spirits Festival on the weekend).  I have to say my most favorite way of enjoying the Forty Creek Cream is in my late afternoon or weekend coffees.  It brings a satisfying feeling and warmth that makes it quite special.

FORTY CREEK WHISKY CREAM LIQUOR, 17% ABV

Nose:  Rich, creamy chocolate covered coffee beans.  The distinctive Forty Creek butterscotch comes through but more like a caramel milk chocolate bar.  

Palate:  This is so creamy and has just the right amount of sweetness to it. You get chocolate, coffee and caramel and then the whisky appears!  Absolutely lovely.  Very smooth and enjoyable to drink.

My favorite coffee mug - Alison Gayton (http://alisongayton.com/)

For those who read my blogs regularly you know I am a HUGE fan of Forty Creek and all they offer.  This is yet another reason why.  John manages to create something that doesn't currently exist on the market for whisky creams:  BALANCE.  This is sweet but not sugary. It taste creamy yet not artificial. The best part which is where I think he's a master at his art is he finds a way to sneak in the Forty Creek signature whisky without it interfering or overwhelming the delicate nature of the cream and flavors. 

It's the perfect balanced whisky cream:  Sweet, caramel creamy with hints of chocolate and coffee, then a surprising little whisky zing just when you are not expecting it.  

As of this week it's available in New Brunswick for $27.99 but there is only 228 bottles, that's it!  It's in Ontario at over 500 stores.

It's exclusive to Canada and not available anywhere else. 



Santa, if you are reading this, I've been an extra good Whisky Lassie this year and would love 8, hmmm... no 12 bottles of this in my stocking please :)

Courtesy of:  restlesschipotle.com

Enjoying my whisky trail finds, happy Christmas shopping everyone!

Whisky Lassie 


PS -> I have a few bottles of Bailey's Irish Cream to give away.  I won't be needing them anymore.  My Forty Creek Whisky Cream is here to stay.   

Auchentoshan Springwood - Chemistry 101, she said...

SHE SAID: The whirlwind tour of my whisky world is over.  It was a great two weeks of discovery but now it's time to continue on the rest of the whisky trail.  Even though I managed to clean through some of my samples I still have several sitting there just waiting to be reviewed. So I stood in front of my whisky shelf a couple of days ago, closed my eyes and chose a sample at random. I went for the left side and this is where I landed: Auchentoshan Springwood.
My first experience with this distillery was sampling the Auchentoshan Three Wood, which happens to be one of the whiskies I love using when I host tastings, especially for new people.  My next Auchentoshan was the Valinch which I always ensure I have at least two bottles of at the house as it is a fantastic dram!  Our society planning committee chose Auchentoshan as our vertical tasting for 2012 and we picked some very nice whiskies. Just to quickly name a few:
Auchentoshan 1999 Bordeaux Finish, Auchentoshan 18, 21 and the coup de grâce for the evening was the Auchentoshan 1977 Sherry Matured.  It was a wonderful night and our members truly loved the Auchies.  We asked Mike Gill, co-owner of Innovative Beverages in NS (Auchentoshan Representative), whisky writer and aficionado who led us through a journey of the distillery which he has visited several times.  After we had our evening, Auchentoshan sales went up by about 5% in our local liquor store (or so Mike told us afterwards, lol).  So, when I saw the Springwood on Dave Worthington's (http://whisky-discovery.blogspot.ca/) list of tradeable whiskies, I knew I had to try it for two reasons.  It's only available through travel retail and I have not been disappointed by this distillery as of yet.

LISTEN UP NOW!!!

"Now!" (as my father in law announces when he has something important you need to listen to)

A few important notes for those of you who don't know much about Auchentoshan.  First of all it's pronounced:  AUKen-TOSHen.  Not anything else, I assure you.  (I argued with a product rep one day who kept calling it Ocean-toe-shan).  This is from the Lowland area of Scotland.  The chemistry behind this one is very interesting from my perspective for several reasons:

1. They start with optic barley which is the most widely grown spring barley in the UK.  It has a rich creamy texture reminiscent of the smell of a shortbread cookie.

2. The malted barley is briefly kilned and is completely UNPEATED.  (It always surprises me when I hear people describe an Auchie as a good peated dram??)

3. The barley, once malted is ground to a specific size and consistency creating a grist.  This allows the maximum amount of sugars to be converted from the starch during the mash phase of the process.

4. After the mashing process is completed, most distilleries use stainless steel washbacks.  Auchentoshan is one of the few that uses wood - Oregon Pine.  That means no two batches are alike.

5. The most unique part of this distillery:  It's the only one in Scotland that triple distills all their ferments.  So, first distillate is apx 8% (beer), second is close to 70% (this is where the majority of distilleries stop their process) and after the third it's 81%.

Courtesy of www.whiskyscience.blogspot.ca - Auchentoshan Stills

Now some will argue that a third distillation removes the congeners (the chemical compounds that are produced during the fermentation and/or maturation process. We know them as esters, acids, aldehydes, etc..)  Many would simply call them the impurities, but none the less they give whiskies their distinct flavors. So why would a distillery want to do that?  Well, I can only speculate because by removing most of the impurities you are left with a very delicate light and smooth whisky.

Lowlands are traditionally known for whiskies that are light, gentle or as I've often heard them referenced the  "Lowland ladies" due to their feminine like qualities.  These distilleries are situated in the greener part of Scotland void of large mountains, peat or sea air.  It's all inland, very agricultural in nature.  Quite a beautiful part of Scotland to see actually and the whiskies have to be tried, at least once before you depart this world.  Don't let the whisky experts in your life fool you into believing that you are not missing anything and to avoid this geographical area of whiskies.  WRONG!   I bet a $10 bill that if you tried several of the Auchies on the market, you will find one you really enjoy.  They may be light on the nose, but they can be big on taste.  Valinch is a perfect example of that for me. It does smell gentle, rum/raisin ice cream, vanilla custard but once you have it in your mouth, it explodes with delicious flavors!  It's a smooth whisky that tastes absolutely delightful.

So the sample I received is the Auchentoshan Springwood which is only available to world travellers (certain airports in the UK mostly), at duty free establishments.  Which is really a shame but at the same time, I suppose makes it one of those rare Auchentoshans that a selected few will be lucky enough to purchase.  It retails about $50 (CAN).  It's part of a set of four core expressions being released that are inspired by the life cycle of wood (as it relates to the tree itself).  Five whiskies released for 2012 will include:  Springwood (When a tree is a sapling, green and young).  Heartwood (The inner rings that are closest to the core).  Silveroak (Ring that appear on the inside of an older more mature tree) followed by Solera (named for the aging process used
to make PX sherry) and the limited edition release and the only age statement 14 Year Old Coopers Reserve (the wood is fully matured and now rounded).  Quite the retails line up, I would say but considering Auchentoshan is in the top 10 travel retail brands, I don't think they will have a hard time selling these off the shelf.

The Springwood is matured in ex-bourbon casks, only.  That's it.  Nothing else.  Just distilled and then added to barrels that used to have bourbon in them.  In a day where distilleries are coming out with finishes in every possible category, this is a refreshing idea.

AUCHENTOSHAN SPRINGWOOD, 40% ABV

Color:  Quite a deep golden straw like quality to it.  Legs are plentiful, long and thin.  (However, keep it mind Auchentoshan uses E150A).

Nose:  I put this head to head against Valinch (for the fun of it).  Lots of vanilla upfront, rum/raisin ice cream (which is usually a tell for  me as far as a young or close to new make spirit).  Lemon or specifically lemon peel.  Lots of cereal on the back.

Palate:  And this is where the similarities of the Valinch completely depart.  My immediate reaction was my entire mouth watered, it was like biting into a lemon:  Juicy but gets the saliva glands at the back with the sour citrus.  Very harsh.  Not at all like the nose.  It's bitter like chewing on grapefruit pith.  Ever eat a mouthful of snow and your mouth sort of tingles afterwards, same feeling with this whisky.  There's a bit of sweetness but just a whisper of unripe green apples...

Finish:  Dries out your entire mouth?  Very weird experience for me.  Mouthwatering while you swish it around and then you swallow and it's like you are nervous on your first date.  Peppery, lots of burn and the citrus is still there but not at the forefront.  It also doesn't stick around very long.

Empty glass:  Graham wafer crust (creamy biscuit feel)

Unfinished second dram - Couldn't do it, ended up down sink :(

I was so excited to try this because I love Auchentoshan.  Apparently I jinxed myself by stating I hadn't found an Auchie I didn't like, yet...  Well "yet" is here.  I didn't like this dram very much.  It simply wasn't pleasant to sip at.  I couldn't enjoy it because the bitterness and funny aftertaste was just too much.  Even with water, it didn't seem to help tame the sour white grapefruit pith and dry cotton mouth feeling afterwards. I usually enjoy my Auchentoshans because they are a light, often "summer" whisky for me.  This was just too bitter to appreciate well maybe other than the nose.  That was actually quite nice in nature.

I tried to think of people who might enjoy this whisky, and honestly the only thing I could come up with was the whisky purist who enjoys his/her scotch aged in nothing but ex-bourbon casks.  If that's you, try this dram if you can. I personally cannot recommend buying this.  I can think of many, many whiskies that I would prefer spending $50.00 on.

It's the youngest of the core expressions and it shows.  I can only hope the other four are much better than this one.

Sorry Auchentoshan, this is a major whisky fail for me :(  However, I shall not give up and will continue to search out, try and recommend the Auchentoshans I have come to know and love.

Discarding this one unfortunately somewhere in the ditch of the whisky trail...  (sorry little guy)


I remain,

Whisky Lassie

More of what you should be drinking for the next 7-8 months!!...He said

Out on the Trails!

He said...The Lassie and I have two big dogs (no…neither of them are named Lassie). Jack and Miles keep us going as much as we let them and we try to be responsible dog owners. The dogs are well cared for with plenty of exercise every day. Rain or shine, sleet or snow we are out twice a day for a good hearty hike through the local trails, parks and wood lots. Honestly, the benefit goes both ways, the dogs have a great time and we get to keep the regular exercise routine going to help shed some of those nasty empty calories that appear from the daily drams. But when the weather turns nasty and wet or we are in the middle of a typical mid-winter deep freeze sometimes peated or sherried dram just won’t cut the cold, I need something hot.

In my ongoing quest to find “What you should be drinking for the next 7-8 months” we have been going through some hot whisky drinks to have in your repertoire for when the winds are howling or when company arrives and you want something different.

1. Whisky Cream

Simple is sometimes best and every once in a while when I need just a little extra fire in my belly for insulation I will add a dollop of whisky cream to my coffee. I recommend Forty Creek’s brand new Forty Creek Cream Liquor if you can get it! Currently only available in Ontario. Its availability is spreading soon with its arrival in New Brunswick for the annual Spirits Festival at the end of November. If you can't get it other whisky cream products like Bailey’s will do fine as well. If you are feeling a little extra creative try a latte or cappuccino with a jigger or two added to the milk before frothing (http://fortycreekwhisky.com). 

2. Irish Coffee

This classic was created in 1942 by Joe Sheridan. He was a bartender at an airport near present day Shannon, Ireland as it was a regular refueling stop for trans-Atlantic flights. Sheridan created the drink to help arriving passengers cope with the often cold damp weather. In 1947 an American journalist named Stan Delaphane tried his Irish Coffee and was so impressed that he passed the recipe on to a bartender at the Buena Vista Café in San Francisco upon his return from the Emerald Isle. The rest, as they say, was history.

The Drink:

1 oz Irish Whiskey

Spoon of cane sugar (optional)

Hot Black Coffee

Heavy cream (Lightly whipped)

In a toddy glass add a bar spoon to the glass. Add Irish whiskey, Sugar (if using) and top with coffee leaving about 1-2 fingers of head room. Stir with spoon to mix and dissolve sugar. Using back of spoon float the heavy cream on top of the coffee (It helps if the cream is room temperature or very slightly warm). Garnish with a little more sugar or a coffee bean.

Johanne and I differ on our appreciation for this classic warmer. There is a trick to drinking it where you must suck the coffee through the whipped cream (No, the cream should never be stirred up into the coffee at any point). For the Irish Coffee newbie this method of sucking the coffee through the whipped cream can often lead to a mouth full of cream and no coffee! Practice makes perfect…my suggestion, have another! 

3. Hot Toddy

Yet another classic that appeals on many levels, as it combines both sour and sweet in great harmony with the spices and the touch of smoke found in a lot of blended whiskies. This is a lovely comfort drink for when cold and flu season roll around (I’m sure there is some Surgeon Generals warning you should be heeding about not using this to down your cold medications with; as with all meds, read the box and don’t be stupid).

The history of the Hot toddy is a little less defined than the Irish Coffee as it is much older, there are even references to a whisky toddy in Dicken’s “The Pickwick Papers.” There are many variations on the drink as well including some that are topped with a strong black tea instead of simple boiling water. For the purpose of this post I will stick with the boiling water variation as referenced in The Diffords Guide (www.diffordsguide.com).

The Drink:

1 Spoon of Runny Honey

2 Oz Blended Scotch Whisky

½ oz Lemon Juice

½ oz Cane Sugar Syrup (2:1 sugar to water ratio)

3 dried Cloves

Boiling Water to top

In a warmed Toddy Glass place a bar spoon loaded with honey and then add the rest of the ingredients and stir until honey dissolves. Garnish with a lemon wedge and a cinnamon stick.

4. Spiced Cranberry Bourbon Punch

In my opinion I have saved the best for last. This drink is the creation of Eric Burke, aka “Bourbon Guy” and it is nothing short of remarkable. Johanne modified it and turned it into a hot toddy but I’ve included a link to his original blog post about its creation below. The only drawback is that compared some of the other classic hot cocktails this might take a little more effort but not nearly enough that it should discourage you. Believe me, your efforts will be rewarded! Everything about this drink works, the citrus tang, the bite of the ginger ale and the mellowing effect introduced by the bourbon. My only recommendation is that you do the math and don’t make the whole thing unless you plan on storing and reheating over a couple days…the recipe is a party size after all! 

http://www.bourbonguy.com/blog/2012/11/4/spiced-cranberry-bourbon-punch.html

The Drink:

Juice:

Blend
 5 cups + 1 oz cranberry juice 


1.5 cups pineapple juice 

1 cup orange juice 

1/3 cup lemon juice 

Spices
 2 3-inch cinnamon stick


2 tsp whole cloves

3 white cardamom pods

The Rest

1 cup bourbon

1 can ginger ale

The Procedure:

▪                Combine fruit juices and put in a sauce pan along with cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom pods. Bring to a boil, simmer for five minutes. Strain out everything but the cinnamon sticks. 

▪                Fish out the cinnamon sticks and add to toddy glasses. 

▪                Add bourbon and stir.  Pour about 3/4 cup in toddy glasses and fill with ginger ale.

I hope you get to try some of these lovely concoctions the next time you feel a chill or are under the weather. I love whisky and all it has to offer and in many cases it simply offers a pleasurable addition to a lovely creation. If you have any recipe additions of your own feel free to add them to the comments section below! Until next time, stay warm!

Adventures in Distilling...He Said!

He said...It was the women’s fault. I’ll just start with that and see where that gets me… Within our circle of friends, mainly drinkers, sailors or both, the women decided to start getting together on a monthly basis for an evening of great cooking…just the gals. The premise being that some of them love to cook and others feel less skilled in the kitchen but all would learn something from each other and have a great time in the process. They dubbed themselves “The Galley Wenches” and away they went cooking up a storm and doing their best to put a dent in the global red wine supply. That just leaves the guys…

At one point my friend Peter and I were sitting around a camp fire having a drink or three and one turned to the other, as typical Scot descended, slightly buzzed men tend to do…and said “ya’know…we could make this stuff…” And so it began, innocently enough I would say; a downloaded book here, bag of corn there… all of a sudden there is an antique moonshine still purchased on ebay in a box at the front door!

I am the type of person that when I become interested in something I go all in. I become deeply involved and need to find out as much information as possible. When I broke a pair of aluminum snowshoes I learned all there was to know about making a new pair using traditional methods right down to steam bending wood and hand lacing. Maybe a touch obsessive? So when I read in a tasting note that a whisky is “feinty” I know what part of the distilling process that refers to but I don’t know what it actually smells like? So, the logical answer to the question “what do feints smell like?” Take up home brewing and distilling of course.

Trying to keep our first foray into brewing and distilling simple we went to the local home brew store and purchased a hard cider kit on sale. Really we just wanted to play with the shiny new toy and just buying a whole bunch of wine or beer didn’t seem right. Closely following the instructions we completed the kit and waited. And waited some more. Then we reread the instructions. Everything was done exactly as the instructions said but nothing was happening, especially the bubbling of soon to be hard cider.  So in the end we caved and amassing four bottles of cheap or homemade wine set up Peter’s shinny new still complete with thumper and condenser coil. Soon the still was bubbling and the room filled with the smell of distilled wine vapor as drops started to fall from every connection and join. We really didn’t have enough to completely charge the still and nothing actually came out the other end…but we knew we were on to something!

The entire product of our first run of corn!

Fast-forward 6 months (sailing season tends to be very consuming) and we were back at it with renewed vigor. Armed with the Moonshiner’s Manual I took a swing at a proper corn mash. To say the smell was foul was an understatement and I’m sure something went wrong somewhere? Stinky as it was I had a fermented wash, albeit a very low ratio of alcohol by volume but alcohol nonetheless. This time with three of us (safety in numbers) Don, Peter and I set to work again! This time we checked that the connections were properly tightened and the wash started to boil. We watched as the temperature climbed and climbed closer to the cut off point of 96 degrees Celsius. As we rounded 95 Peter said “I don’t think this fucking thing is going to work, again!” Then it happened. With almost one large “plop” the still spit out about ¼ cup of heads, hearts and tails, all at once! It was disgusting cloudy stuff and we didn’t care…all we could see was we had just distilled spirit and had something to show for it!

Consumed by our enthusiasm and momentum we quickly disassembled the apparatus as soon as it was cool, washed and got ready for another run, this time using a whole case of terrible wine we had collected from friends and family! With the boiler properly charged the stink of the terrible corn monster quickly gave way to the smell of wine vapor. Using several different glasses for collection we were able to identify between the different stages of a run. We were in our glory! Glorious sweet ethanol was running cleanly out of the condenser, the text messages indicated the women were coming home to continue the party and we had something to show for all of our “hard” work! Peter decided that he needed to feed his habit and stepped outside for a fresh air break before the ladies arrived and with the parting words “Don’t blow my fucking house up” he left me to my devices, giddy as a school girl before the prom.

Moments later Johanne walked through the door to find me beaming, in my element proclaiming: “look what we made Honey!” And that’s when the fire started. Some might call her the Devil. She literally crossed the threshold of the room and the glass catching the ethanol coming out of the condenser went “woof” and a lovely blue flame flickered. I calmly removed the glass and blew out the flame…all the while oblivious to the flame that was now shooting out of the outflow spout of the condenser!

The fruits of our labor!

Once everything was extinguished and I was indeed sure that I hadn’t blown the house up we set to work nosing fruits of our labor. The only way I can describe the smell of the heads and tails is just “off.” They were not quite musty, moldy or sour but the best/worse I can imagine is skunky wine.  On the other hand, the hearts were gloriously sweet, mouth watering with a touch of citrus sour. Success!

So what did we learn from our little adventure? Well to begin with we found out the still does work and the problem has defiantly been us (mainly me).  We found out the importance of producing a good quality wash to produce a good quality spirit. Last but not least, good ventilation combined with keeping outflow of spirit well away from open flame is critical to keeping Peter in a house and home! Moving forward my attention has now turned to becoming a better brewer in order to produce a better spirit. Stay tuned as this adventure is just beginning! 

Crossing the finish line, whisky #15, welcome home Lassie, she said...

SHE SAID:  Wow! Other than a massive technology glitch of not having the internet on the weekend (I really should not have assumed anywhere I went in the United States would have WI-FI?!!).  I did what I set out to do, nose/taste and review 15 whiskies in 14 days.  I chose whisky that was either given to me as samples, some I owned or received as gifts.  I learned a few things on this adventure:  A) Trust that I can write.  I may not be a fantastic writer like some people I aspire to being, however with every whisky review the words came naturally and I didn't struggle with ideas or concepts.  It was quite a satisfying experience.  B) I accomplished yet another goal that I had set out for myself.  I really wanted to do this and finish what I started.  I was super nervous that I wouldn't be able to do it.  But I DID.  Thanks mostly to some patience and help from Graham who was more than willing to give me space some nights to nose and write.  ;)

15 WHISKIES, 14 DAYS, 10 COUNTRIES

There it is in black and white:  Canada, US, Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Czechoslavakia, India and Japan.  It only made sense to me to try and go through as many different types of whiskies as I could.  It was a fantastic experience to look through my personal collection and realize how lucky I am to have all these whiskies from around the world.  Thank you to those who made this possible.  

Cheap perfume in a skate?  WTF is this category...?

I started home in Canada and I finished there as well.  I chose this one as it was a recent purchase here in my hometown of Saint John, New Brunswick.  One of the things I truly struggle with ALL the time is how we must buy our whiskies here.  We have one government run entity so if they won't bring it in, we can't get it.  Plain and simple.  The hard thing to swallow sometimes is that every other province west of Quebec will get the whiskies in question.  I live in Canada and I can't buy some of the Canadian whiskies on the market because our liquor corporation doesn't think they will make money on anything but the flagships and sometimes tasteless (in my opinion) Canadian whiskies.  So, we get this:  Skate blended whisky ($20.00) Blended whisky origins unknown in a glass bottle shaped like a skate. This is what our liquor store executives think will sell here in my province?  I hang my Canadian head in shame.  Then comes along the word that we are going to get some more new Canadian whiskies to try.  Great, I think...  what next?  Beaver whisky?  Poutine shaped glasses?

 No!  Somebody somewhere has come to their senses or market research has shown they can make money on something called Alberta Premium Dark Horse.  A light from the whisky Gods shone down upon the liquor store as I walked in and made my way to the shelf.  Everything went into slow motion as the realization hit me that I was staring at a reputable and highly reviewed Canadian whisky at MY liquor store???   I grabbed the bottle and cupped it close to me, hugging my precious cargo to my chest.  I couldn't figure out why the cashier was looking at me the way she did and it never dawned on me once that I probably looked like I thought I won the lottery.  Oh well, I was excited what can I say.  Not often I feel like the local liquor anarchy has done something right!


So, last whisky to review is something new available here locally that I am super happy to say I didn't have to beg, borrow or steal to get (well, I exaggerate when I say steal, I swear!?)

Courtesy of www.allthingswhisky.com

There is only one Canadian whisky that is 100% rye:  Alberta Premium in Calgary Alberta.  There is no requirement under Canadian law that a whisky made in Canada have any rye in it yet it can still be called and have the packaging state it's a "Canadian rye", unlike American laws that stipulate anything made in the USA with less then 51% rye content CANNOT be called a rye.  Something else that is different in Canada is our laws don't stipulate that additives cannot be added to our whiskies.  Now a little about the distillery:  It's fairly young compared to other distilleries in Canada, founded in 1946 by two gentlemen born and bred on the prairies.  They seem to believe in buying local and as a result they buy rye directly from farmers from Alberta all the way across to Manitoba (and for those of you that don't know, that is technically what we call the prairy provinces).  Rye, for those of you who have never tried it adds a lovely dimension of peppery spice to whisky.  It's a very satisfying and full flavored grain.  Alberta Premium has done something different with the dark horse:  They have taken 12 year old and 6 year old small batch copper pot 100% rye and added a bit of corn distilled whisky (8% by volume) to create a completely different type of dram.  Now, I have not been able to confirm the exact process or amount from the distillery but I know that sherry is added to the process, post ageing and pre-bottling.  Yes, you read correctly:  Sherry is added directly to the whisky once it's aged and before it goes in the bottle.  Before you judge (because honestly when I first heard about this I was less then enthusiastic to even really consider it a whisky) consider trying it if you like sherry finished whiskies.  This is a very rich and full bodied dram.

ALBERTA PREMIUM DARK HORSE CANADIAN WHISKY, 45% ABV

Color:  Bright copper with flecks of flame red.  Very viscous whisky that truly sticks to the glass.  Long, skinny legs but slow moving.

Nose: Very aromatic, lovely spiciness of rye but with an added dimension of cherries or ripe blackberries.  Very fruity.  Caramelized sugar with hints of spices like cinnamon, cloves and anise.  With water I began to detect a bit of oak, but it's way in the back and barely there.  Water also toned down the sweetness and reminded me more of cherry blossoms.

Palate:  I wasn't expecting the whisky to be so mouth watering but it was.  Very oily and there's a burst of peppery spice like biting into a freshly grated piece of ginger!  The usual spices of rye are there as is a faint taste of acetone (nail polish remover), slightly bitter at the back.  When I added water, lemon zest with a bit of smokiness but not like peat more like the smell/flavor of a piece of wood that has been charred in a fire.  Sooty, is probably more the described flavor.

Finish:  A bit of sour gummy candy, still sweet but with a sour undertone that I find typically with rye, however the gummy candy is a bit of a surprise.  It's a fairly long finish that is quite satisfying.  Still a bit of pepper but not like I anticipated.

Empty glass:  Stewed prunes and cloves still

I've heard this described as a dessert whisky which is not at all how I would categorize it.  I found it to be quite full bodied, rich and fortifying in nature.  I will probably enjoy this whisky when I need to feel warm from the inside out.  The type that I would drink after a dog walk at -25C but not in the mood for a peated dram.

I really enjoyed this whisky and although I've only owned it for about 3 weeks, I have already put a good dent in my bottle.  This is available across Canada and is approximately $30.00/bottle.  It is worth every penny.  I can't think of many whiskies that are below $35.00 that I regularly recommend to people.  This one, I could and I will.  It's a fantastic dram, it's unlike any other Canadian whisky on the market right now and even though I "judged" it because they added sherry, I accept that under our laws that's ok and it's a whisky.

So, there you have it.  15 whiskies - Started with a Canadian and gladly finished with one as well.  Thank you for following me on this absolutely amazing little adventure and I will thank yet once again all the people who helped me along either by means of trade or otherwise.

It's been a very educational trip around my whiskfabric. Across this finish line and onto the next adventure!

Whisky lassie

Whiskey #14, I'm in AMERICA, she said...

SHE SAID:  First things first, I actually was physically in the Unites States at the time of this posting, BUT my apologies for being two days late on these last two whiskies.

I was suppose to post this one on Saturday and then whisky #15 on Sunday to finish off the two week whirl wind trip around the whisky fabric. HOWEVER...  something funny happened on the way to the Appalachians mountains: there is NO INTERNET there???   So two things resulted:  A) I was not able to post my final blogs and B) I was completely cut off from twitter, facebook, email and internet.  So here is this one, late by my admission however out of my control at the time.

Presidential Mountain Range - New Hampshire, USA

Whisky #14 was a wonderful gift I received and one of those drams that was on my whisky bucket list.  I had read so many great things about it as well as the people who make it.  But let me start at the beginning.  In the United States there has been a mass explosion of craft distillers from one end of that expansive country to the other.  In 2000 there were 12 states that had a craft distillery listed as operational, in 2011 it quadrupled to 45 states with almost 250 registered craft distilleries (Coppersea Distilling Report of 2011). If that's not a boom I don't know what is?  Graham has been fascinated with craft distilleries for the better part of the last year. Me not so much BUT somewhere in all the conversations we had or rather that he would ramble on about while I listened, I became quite interested in the subject as well and started researching and reading a bit about this movement that was taking the USA by storm. Based on many, many blogs and articles I could see that people trying these products all seem to be saying close to the same thing:  "Too expensive, too young, too harsh.  Give it a few years and maybe the product will improve." The large majority of reviews were negative or at least less then stellar.   One brand however seem to rise above all these and consistently had good to great reviews.  One of my favorite whiskyfabric bloggers went '"all in" with this particular distillery and wrote about it at length several times, having met the distiller himself and I am pretty sure Josh tried every single whiskey as a result.  Josh Feldman and I had several conversations about these whiskies and when he and I decided to trade whisky samples he was adamant I try it.  Honestly when I looked at his tradeable whisky list there were plenty more on I wanted to try first but if you know Josh it becomes easy to understand his passionate commitment and enjoyment of good whiskies so I let him talk me into it.  As a result of my introduction to Balcones so began my own personal obsession to try them all.  So thank you Josh for the fantastic introduction to small craft distillery whiskey done right.

Chip, relaxing with a dram

My background is chemistry.  I know what an ester is, I can write any chemical nomenclatures as it relates to whisky as though I wrote my own name.  I can tell you where the butyric acid comes from in some whiskies just as well as explain the importance of a good water source and how it affects the process.  I am essentially:  A WHISKY GEEK.  So my fellow whisky enthusiasts I implore you to unite for I have found our whisky leader: Chip Tate, founder and master distiller at Balcones Distillery, Waco Texas USA.  

I have never read about anyone else who is as involved in the whisky making process as he is.  From mathematically calculating the shape he wanted for his copper pot stills to barrel management, yeast strain profiles, attention to details for mash bills used and not only knowing but understanding the chemistry involved in every line of his products Chip is truly imperative to the entire whiskey making process at Balcones from start to finish.  His presentations are not only educational they are also a passionate journey through his dream and goals realized.   If you want to know more about Balcones and or Chip, go to www.cooperedtot.com and search either word.  Josh did a fantastic job several times blogging about this great new avenue of American Whiskey and the people that make them.  Most of the Balcones product line is currently available on the US market for about $45-65. It's headed to the UK in the next few weeks AND fingers crossed, I know that Chip has been talking with some Canadian contacts with hopes to have it a few shows in 2013.  

Dot, me, Cis - drams and birthday balloon!

For my birthday we had planned a get away weekend in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  It only seemed befitting that I try an  American whiskey there, so I chose Balcones Texas Single Malt.  The greatest part of opening the bottle that day was getting to share it with Bob Caron and his two aunts Cis and Dot (79 and 82) whom I had the pleasure to all meet and spend the afternoon with while we were there.  I learned alot from these two women that day and I hope to write a blog in their honor very soon.   The single malt was well received, the ladies easily finished their glass and we had great discussions as a result.  All in all, the dram was as fascinating and surprising as the company I had that day.  Every time I will have a dram of the single malt, I will be transported to a gorgeous fall day, nestled in the mountains with laughter, stories and new friendships. Thanks Bob, Cis and Dot for a fantastic birthday.

BALCONES TEXAS SINGLE MALT WHISKEY, SPECIAL RELEASE 53% ABV

Color:  Deep copper orange.  This is a super viscous whiskey that stuck to the glass in droplets.  Legs are plentiful but slow in nature.

Nose:  Demerara sugar hits you hard on the nose, like a dark aged rum barrel.  Sweet, sticky date squares.  Rich dried fruits. A touch of acetone at the back, kind of reminded me of the smell at the dry cleaners.  Once I added water, the sugar took a back seat to some nutmeg and a distinct nuttiness stuck around. 

Palate:  I fully expected the nose to outshine the palate: Was I ever wrong.  This is a roller coaster ride of flavors that I found difficult to keep up with.  First there was sweet pears that were glazed in a Carribean rum, followed by cereal.  Then it took me to some cinnamon and plump golden raisins.  I added just a touch of water and found the oak (but it's hard to describe because it was not like finding the oaky smell in Scotch whiskies).  This oak has a more pungent but sweet flavor to it.  Then more spices but gentle and slightly muted with the water addition.  After a few minutes, vanilla appeared as did a full flavorful creamy custard.  

Finish:  So smooth, I forgot what the ABV was the first time I was drinking it.  There is no harshness with this dram what so ever.  The finish is long, with a hint of spices and just a touch of dryness to it.  

Empty glass:  Rum raisin ice cream (very creamy, delish!)

This whiskey is bottled un-chill filtered and has nothing added to it.  I had a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that is is a No Age Statement whiskey because it is so flavorful.  Come to find out Chip uses a very distinct technique when it comes to how the whiskey is matured.  He utilizes several different types of woods as well as sized barrels, then further finishes the whiskey in larger composite barrels. Explains why the oak flavors that come through are a bit foreign to me and unlike anything I had ever tasted before.  Quite fascinating from a chemistry perspective!

All and all, this whiskey really surprised both Graham and me.  The Brimstone (another Balcones favorite of ours) hits you over the head with smoke and earthy overtones but this one, the Single Malt takes the cake on sweet dark rum, fruit and spices. From start to finish this is BIG and BOLD on flavor.   But then again, this shouldn't surprise any of us as the cliché goes they do make everything bigger in Texas!

Congrats to Chip and everyone else at Balcones on this single malt.  To all other craft distillery whiskey makers in the US, THIS is the benchmark for doing it right. I can't wait to see where Chip goes next.  

In my very fancy cowboy boots, sipping a dram with lovely friends on the American Whiskey trail,   I remain...

The Whisky Lassie