“Stunning” definition:

Commanding attention “one never to be forgotten”;

Or in new speak:

“cracking”, “scrumptious”, or as they say in Scotland “it’s a Stoater ! ”

There are tastings, and then there are “Tastings!”

During the upcoming two months Rare Drams will be conducting some Single malt tastings in B.C. These will include beautiful drams from many parts of Scotland’s Islands , Highlands & low lands. At these events I am often confronted with the desire to go that wee bit further, not geographically of course, but to stretch the taste buds, to move the passions in search of that “not to be forgotten” dram

Well we might just be moving in the direction where even “angels” fear to tread, remembering of course that the “angels have already had their “share”.

 Let me introduce the “Stunning Single Malt Tasting”.

Gathered before us, for those that want to go that wee bit further, we will have six Single Malts that fit the category well. These Single malts, all limited editions, of no more than 400 bottles worldwide, will be opened, left to breathe the BC air for a wee while, and then poured to meet the anxious palate of the “taster”.

In no particular sequence:

First four up will be Old Malt Cask, bottled @ 50% ABV, No Chill filtering, No colour and No Nonsense

Port Ellen 25 Year Old, This is only the most complex of Scotland’s drams. No longer with us but tastes like the sounds from Thelonious Monk, a wee bit of this and a wee bit of that….a big bit of this and an even bigger bit of that

Banff 32 Year old.  Very few have tried this Northern dram, again sadly no longer with us. During the Second World War the distillery was blown up and thousands of gallons were released and ran freely onto the local farms. It is said that residents couldn’t get enough of the “special” milk coming from their local cows. Can’t wait to taste this 32 Year old Single cask beauty that the Milkman delivered !!

Ardbeg 17 year Old. What can you say? This iconic Distillery was closed for a period and re opened in 1997.This 17 Year Old is one of the oldest of the new, its “peachy” notes, are common with its Liquorice and tar. AAH!!

Miltonduff 17.Year old Again a distillery neither widely available nor tasted regularly. Most of this Single Malt’s production ends up in Ballantyne’s. On its own its exquisite. This Speysider stands up to be counted, but will it be “stunning”!

Then we will taste Douglas Laing’s Old & Rare, bottled as it comes from the Cask. Here are two “stunning” examples

Tomatin 31 Year Old, located in the mountains just south of Inverness, Capital of the Highlands, this distillery produces a Single Malt with delicate Flavours. Illicit stills are part of the history of whisky distilling in Scotland; and as Tomatin reaches back to the 15th Century, you can just imagine drovers, bringing their cattle over high mountain passes to the market at Tomatin.They then filled their flasks from a still at the Old Laird’s House, beside the current distillery buildings. I wish it was that easy now, however there is no need to bring any cattle to this tasting.

Glen Keith 35 Year old

Closed in the year 2000 this 35 Year old cask strength dram has a beautiful rich colour. The mouth feel is full and the length is long. Like Paul MacCartney’s Long & Winding Road, you won’t be rushing this dram.

This line up  provides over 150 Years of Single Malts at one tasting. Only available in B.C and not available anywhere else!

Tickets are limited, however if you are interested in the Stunning tasting, contact bobkyle@raredrams.ca