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

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)

Snake Davis is one of the world’s top Saxophonists, and at Rare drams we are interested in the link between music & single malt. (see “Its that Dram Again  “, post 12/09).

In this months Whiskeria Magazine, Dominic Roskrow the Whisky writer and Single malt expert asked “Snake ” to taste and rate some new Single malts, here is what snake thought of our friend Big Peat:

“Nose – Wow ! This is what makes whisky so exciting….. this is huge radical and extreme. It’s like a campfire thats dying out, with smoke, peat, and a hint of gasoline.

Taste, Yes !…a big eight-bar rock and roll sax solo. King Curtis, in your face, massive, full-on peat, island, love it, absolutely love it. Campfires again, M People, Glastonbury, late 90′s, so atmospheric. (I remember) We went out at dusk and the fires were glowing, as we played “Search for the Hero”. 100,000 arms in the air, tingles down my back. wonderful, we probably drank something like this, but not as good when we got back to the hotel for the wind down. Challenging , dark and different. such a musty, edgy, dark smokey taste. I adore it. For a second time (during this tasting session) I thought this is possibly the best thing I have ever tasted. ”

Dominic Roskrow, Interviews Snake Davis (Whiskeria Magazine summer 2010)

Listen to Snake play : Snake Davis on Sax

Big Peat is available in all of the BCLDB Signature Stores as well as Strath & Liberty Point Grey !

“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

When I do tastings of our Unique and Rare malts, I indicate that its best to savour the dram….take “half a second” a year (of age) to enjoy all that the dram has to offer. I reason that its taken, perhaps up to 20 or 40 years to mature, in that time man has landed on the moon, the Beatles have come and gone.So enjoy , take your time.

But then there are times, those days when a “weee sip” wont do it!

If you want a song to go with it …try Chiggers …..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4XPXRTsPpI

Sometimes you just need a “big gulp”. I like to come home, pour a not so wee dram , then take it in a large drink….a gulp!

I recommend the Malt Advocate winner of Best peated Malt (daily dram for that very occassion. THe Big Peat from Douglas laing….due in to BC in the next boat…

Best Peated Malt Award 2009 (Daily Drams)
(Best whisky distilled from – relatively – peated malt)
Douglas Laing NAS ‘Islay Blended / Big Peat’ (46%, DL)