October 2009
9 posts
1 tag
Tasting Notes: Laphroaig 11 (SMWS 29.71)
Today’s whisky needs something of an introduction. Technically it is a single cask Laphroaig 11 year old. However, it comes from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, making its legal name SMWS 29.71.
A lot of you probably know about the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. For those who don’t, it’s a whisky club that offers unique, single cask bottlings from just about every distillery in...
1 tag
Tasting Notes: The Dalmore 12 Single Malt Scotch...
One of my local wine stores occasionally stocks some interesting (read: not Dewars or Black Label) miniature bottles. On a lark I picked up the Dalmore 12 last time I was in the shop and thought I’d give it a taste tonight.
Dalmore is a Northern Highland single malt put out by Whyte and MacKay. If you read whisky blogs, Dalmore is a name you’ve heard a lot lately, as their low-end...
4 tags
40 Whiskies Under $40: Finlaggan Islay Single Malt...
Trader Joe’s in California have to live up to a pretty impressive reputation. There’s decent, healthy, cheap food. There’s 2 buck chuck. And there are great deals on liquor.
I posted previously on their current line up of Trader Joe’s single malt bottlings, and unfortunately, though I think it’s great to have them at a price point of $30 (and pretty cool to be...
1 tag
40 Whiskies under $40: The Glenlivet 12
It’s amazing that it has taken us even this long to taste this whisky, but today’s entry in our growing collection of 40 Whiskies Under $40 is a whisky known throughout the world - The Glenlivet 12.
The Glenlivet is a Speyside whisky, the first of many illicit distilleries in the region to go legit at a time when the lowlands were the prime source of legal scotch whisky. If you are a...
1 tag
Tasting Notes - Compass Box in NYC
Last night I went to a Compass Box tasting at Harbour in NYC. The event was organized by For Scotch Lovers, a social network for whisky enthusiasts, and Keith and Ellie at the New York City Whisky Enthusiast Meetup group.
Until last night, I’d never actually tasted a bottle from Compass Box. The whisky enthusiast in me has always preferred to spend my money on straight single malts rather...
10 tags
Tasting Notes - Signatory/Edradour Tasting in...
Last night I attended an Edradour/Signatory tasting at Heights Chateau, my local wine/liquor shop. Ten scotches in an hour and a half, and probably the best local tasting I’ve been to in terms of host/taster interaction and sheer variety of whiskies. The team from signatory was light on the schtick - no kilts, just down to earth conversation - and I got to taste a wide variety of...
1 tag
Whisky Events in San Francisco for WhiskyFest 2009
Hi all,
Wanted to post a few events, which seem worthwhile, that are going on this week in San Francisco. They coincide with WhiskyFest, this Friday. I’ll probably be heading to the Laphroaig cocktail contest tonight, so give a shout if I’ll see you there.
Monday, October 12
Laphroaig Cocktail Contest Ten bartenders will compete, mixing new and interesting concoctions with Laphroaig...
1 tag
Tasting Notes: Laphroaig New Make
If you ever have the good fortune of finding yourself at a Friends of Laphroaig event, Simon Brooking, the distillery’s ambassador to the US, comes armed with many a good yarn and usually a very special bottle of Laphroaig tucked away somewhere safe. He is by all means a cheery chap, and very glad to share his Laphroaig with a Friend. At the Great Chicago Whisk(e)y Debate, Simon had with...
Results: The Great Chicago Whisk(e)y Debate
An interesting proposition in these interesting whisk(e)y times: a live debate between brand ambassadors, held at a bar, and incorporating sample tastings of each distillery’s expression of choice. Well, the distillery representatives didn’t dissappoint, and there were many a good yarn told that evening.
Dan Tullio, US brand ambassador for Canadian Club, came out wearing a customized...
