Start your day with a Dram good Crossword !

Click to Start, and try not to use the “solve” button too early and let me know if you completed the crossword (without looking)

If so , your a “wee champion!”

Remember   Its Only A Crossword

In my recent post I introduced the members of Big Peats Orchestra. (See Big Peats Orchestra).

The four new members, all from Islay form this well known band called “Big Peat”. They include the outrageous sounds of the Scottish group Runrig, echoing the notes of Ardbeg to the smooth complex tones from  Port Ellen played by Thelonious Monk.

However, after introducing the initial group members, I have since heard from the Band’s Producer , Fred Laing, and Fred has indicated that he would like to introduce a new band member.

The introduction of this new member says alot about the Producers music interest. Fred has  already met up with and discussed rare malt casks with no other than Mick Jagger , but I am not sure if he has influenced his music in any way !

Have a listen to Fred’s selection the Red Hot Chilli Pipers playing Smoke on the Water (Deep Purple) on the bagpipes. click New Band Member

Fred hasnt said which band member he would replace in the orchestra so that the Red Hot Chilli Pipers can strutt their stuff , but perhaps he is thinking of Michael Buble for Bowmore or Shoogle Nifty for Caol ila….let me know if you agree!

 Cheers

Bob Kyle

Big Peat’s Orchestra

I have recently held several tastings in B.C, and in some of those tastings I have included the award winning Big Peat (96 Pts. in the 2011 Whisky Bible)

During our tastings we often describe flavours in terms of individual memories: for example “a wee Italian coffee shop” , although not a flavour the description evokes the essence of mellowness and creamy roundness of the dram being tasted, whereas ” sooking a Fishermans friend” clearly brings forward those thoughts of that menthol, seaweed feeling we get in the palate and even up the nose when we take this soothing sweety for our colds.

To enhance the descriptors even further there is nothing better than music by association, which brings us nicely to Big Peat’s Orchestra

To fully appreciate the tonal depth of this great dram, and its four Single Malt components, words are not enough.

 Rather consider the sounds and memories brought forward by the members of Big Peat’s Band.

Firstly there is Ardbeg. Epitomized by the music of the Scottish band Runrig .Have a listen to the well known ballad “Loch Lomand “, played Runrig style

There is the recognizable words of the song with its consistent, repeating lyrics which often bring Scotland to mind, but wait….. stay the course and you will discover even more…. like Ardbeg…what a finish! ( click to listen Loch Lomand)

Then there is Bowmore. This beautiful Single Malt provides depth and roundness, which enables us to enjoy the pleasure of the full mouth, as if enjoying B.Cs own Michael Bubble. ( click to listen Michael Buble )

Then savour the oily seaweed of Caol ILA with Shoogle Nifty. If you have never been to a Scottish ceilidh, then wait till you experience the raucous sounds and foot stamping get up and go of this famous Scottish group. Just as if tasting Caol Ila, you expect fireworks, regular taste updates and that feeling of being beside the sea.( click to listen Shoogle Nifty )

Finally to complete the range let the elegance and complexity of Port Ellen surrender your taste buds almost as of Thelonious Monk was playing just for you…… This dram delivers layers, a sound hear, a note there ! ( click to listen Thelonious )

Taken all together Big Peat’s Orchestra (Ardbeg/Bowmore , Caol ila & Port Ellen) is surely worth at least the 96 points awarded on this years Whisky Bible?

Let me know what bands you “hear” when you try our Big Peat .

It is true, that in 1885 Rosbank Distillery, located in the Lowlands of Scotland had an Excise man by the name of William Bastard!

 But that’s no reason to ignore a dram from one of Scotland’s Forgotten Distilleries:

I am often asked “What should we collect?”

There are clearly a list of the famous & popular; The Macallan, Laphroaig; Ardbeg; Dalmore etc, however you could also consider, if available the purchase, one of Scotland’s “Lost” Distilleries.

In the 1800′s there were over two hundred distilleries in Scotland, by 1980 there was a whisky surplus and, inevitably, this led to the closure of many distilleries by 1984.

When we look at why some of the most sought after distilleries in Scotland closed during this time, the answer lies in economics and flavour.

Single malts were not seen as an important dram, with most of the single malt production going into Blends. Therefore when cuts needed to be made during the slump, distilleries producing whisky which did not “fit” the flavour required in blended scotches were chosen to be closed, especially in cases where the size of the distillery was small or where the distillery was located in a remote part of Scotland.

Little did anyone know that single malts would become so popular worldwide, with demand in some cases outstretching capacity.

During this period Scotland “lost” (Closed or mothballed) some of her most iconic Drams Port Ellen; Brora; Rosebank; Linlithgow; Banff; Glenury ; Glen Esk, never to return. These have been added to over the last decade to include: Pittyvaich, Littlemill, Millburn, Dallas Dhu amongst others.

These single malts are now seldom available and when they are they are snapped up. Have you tasted any of these long but not forgotten drams, if not?

Rare Drams can arrange a very special Tasting exclusively for your group, which would include a “Dram from Six of Scotland’s Lost distilleries”

Contact bobkyle@raredrams.com

Old Malt Cask 18 YO Rosebank is currently available in BCLDB Stores: (Limited Edition Single Cask)

Big Peat is rated as one of the best in the Whisky Bible by Jim Murray !

Big Peat (96 POINTS )

Nose:

magnificent array of salt and bitty peat; heavy yet light enough for the most delicate of citrus. Hard to find a nose which screams “Islay” at you with such a lack of ambiguity: it is, frankly, perfect.

Palate:

 the delivery is constructed around a fabulous bourbon Demerara sugar and liquorice framework; the peat enters as soon as this is in place and in varying layers of oiliness and depth. The mid ground sees the re-emergence of the more complex Ardbeg and Port Ellen factions, a bourbon style, small grains busyness;

Finish :long, softly oiled still and then a slow dissolving liquorice and spice; vanillas pop up very late, still accompanied by soft Demerara;

I suppose if you put Ardbeg and Port Ellen together there is a chance you might get something rather special. Not guaranteed, but achieved here with the kind of panache that leaves you spellbound. The complexity and balance are virtually off the charts, though had the Caol Ila been reduced slightly, and with it the oils, this might well have been World Whisky of the Year. 46% ©Jim Murray

Aged Grains:

Rare Drams specialises in Scotland’s Single malts….but it also loves its “Aged Grains”.

Very few people have tasted a Single Malt from a Single Cask….only those that follow the “Independents” have had the privilege of tasting a Single Cask Malt, with its unique *DNA (*Rare Drams definition of Unique Single Cask flavours…see article on DNA).

 Rare Drams provides almost 100 different expressions of Single Cask Single Malts from almost every Distillery in Scotland….now that’s a collectors dream.

But if few have tasted a Single Cask Single Malt, then even fewer have delved into the exquisite tastes of Aged Grains.

What are Aged grains, you may ask?

To set the stage here is some background that will assist; the millions of liters of Single Malt that Scotland produces each year are of course not consumed by single malt lovers. In fact there is just a very small part of the whisky production sold as single malt, the greatest quantity, almost 90%, goes into the many blended whiskies.  The Marriage partner in the Blend, and by far the largest partner in the marriage, is the Grain whisky. There will be several, up to 30 or 40 Single Malts in the marriage, and to “Blend” there will be the selected Grain Whisky.

Grain whisky – is very different from malt whisky. These distilleries use a Continuous Distilling Process, unlike the pot stills of the Single Malt. These “continuous Stills” enable large, high alcohol spirits to be produced. These spirits are normally soft and mellow, and make ideal marriage partners. Grain whisky distilleries use a mash of cereals. This mash always includes some malted barley, but other unmalted cereals like maize and wheat are allowed as well. These cereals are considerably cheaper than malted barley.

Grain whisky distilleries were never as numerous as malt whisky distilleries, because it’s
always been very easy to scale up the production. In fact,
the number of grain whisky distilleries has declined considerably over the last decades.
At the moment, these are the only seven operating grain whisky distilleries as well as several notable “Lost” Grain Distilleries; some are listed for your information below this article.

Since the invention of the Continuous Still, Scotland has produced Grain whiskies that have “Blended” along side their favourite Single Malt partners to bring to the market such Brands as : Chivas Regal, Johny walker : Ballantynes; Famous Grouse, amongst many others.

Just like the Single Malt, the Single Grain has been reserved for those wishing to follow the flavour trail. At Rare Drams we are particularly fond of the Aged Single Grains. These grains begin their life with very little distinctive flavours and no colour. However left in the dark, in their cask for a very long time, they produce new magic, they return new colours.

We recently tasted and released a Dumbarton 40 YO, first distilled in 1966. At that time Man was reaching for the moon, the Beatles were releasing their early tracks, and even I had Hair!

The Dumbarton, released from its Single Hogshead, returned flavours of “Candy Floss & Honey, with a golden Hue colour.

We are about to release a 45 YO Caledonian onto the BC Market which will deliver on the nose Fresh, clean, fruity and spicy notes – with an added fruit box style that warms to old fashioned hair dressing and toffee smells. Whilst the palate continues to carry macerated fruit, barley sugar and late vanilla flavour – all replicated plus some dried spice on its finish. 

With such complexity surely the Single Malt Lover must acquaint themselves with these Special “Aged grains”.

In our “hold”, we have some exquisite Girvan, a delightful Garnheath and even some Strahclyde….all you need to do is ask!

Details of Scotland’s Grain Distilleries:

Active:

Cameronbridge is Scotland’s oldest – and largest – grain whisky distillery.)
Girvan

Invergordon

Loch Lomond

North British

Strathclyde

Port Dundas (Due to close)

Strathisla the largest and the newest.

Then there are some famous “Lost” Grain Distilleries ;

Caledonian distillery

Dumbarton

Cambus

Garnheath

Carsbridge

Strathmore.

TOMINTOUL SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY ANNOUNCES OU KOSHER CERTIFICATION

July 14, 2010

TOMINTOUL SINGLE MALT WHISKY FROM THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS ANNOUNCES OU KOSHER CERTIFICATION

From the highest of the Scottish Highlands now come varieties of single malt whisky manufactured by Tomintoul Distillery and newly certified by OU Kosher. Tomintoul, located in the community of the same name, the highest village in the Highlands, is owned by Angus Dundee, an independent company with over 50 years’ experience in producing, blending, bottling and distributing top-quality Scotch whiskies and other spirits.

These Tomintoul varieties, known in the industry as “the gentle dram,” include Tomintoul 10, 16 and 33 years old; they also include Peaty Tang, which is crafted using peated malted barley to impart a distinctive smoky and heathery flavor to the product.

Angus Dundee, the parent company of Tomintoul, has a broad range of stocks of Scotch whisky of all ages, up to 45 years of age, which are supplied either as bottled in Scotland or in bulk for bottling locally. These whiskies are exported to more than 70 countries around the world, producing solid business growth, year after year, over the last decade.

Tomintoul Range is widely available throughout BC