Smell

If all other atributes but good and bad are ignored. My favourite smelling whisky must be Dalmore King Alexander III.

Buyingn own cask!!!

Decision has been made. I have narrowed down my option in buying a cask to:

Arran
Tullibardine
Glengoyne
Bruichladdich
Ben Nevis
Bladnoch
Glenglassaugh

See also http://www.quartercasks.com/ for cask shares

Rainy day

I was in Helsinki, sitting in a bar that had very little to offer. Outside was cold, dark, windy and it rained like it was last day on earth. What I decided to do was to call my oldest friend and try to convince him on leaving warmth and comfort of his home and join me for a drink. It took me half an hour to come up with cunning plan. By this time streets were all ready cleared from all pedestrians. That bad was the weather.

"Haloo" he answered his phone.
"Hi, I'm in town." I said. And before I was able unleash my plan he said:
"I just opened Chill filtered 15yo BenRiach with Pedro Xininez Sherry wood finish"

After he said that. I stood up and walked in to the rain.

The whisky was amazing, complex yet easy for pallet. Raisins come to mind first. We didn't go in to too much analyzing it. Sometimses it is easy to forget what Whisky is about when you have your nose too deep in your glass. It is for fun.

Benromach Origins Batch 2 and 3

Benromach, never the obvious choice but allways a winner. It is the smallest distillery at speyside (only two distillers) and winner of many awards. Due to size of their operation they are very able to quickly adapt with changing world. The originns of their whisky is deeply rooted in tradition but they way its been presented is among the contemporary ones. Fusion of these two elements brings out some great whiskies for us to enjoy.

Benromach Origins – Batch 3 (optic barley)

Distilled in 2000 and matured in sherry casks. This is definitely one of those which benefit from drop of water (99% do but this especially). For the nose this is superb, one of the best this year. The ballet of berries and cardboard is truly unique. When I close my eyes sniffing this, I was immediately taken to damp forest in morning after sub zero temperature. Often is the case when nose is much better than average then taste is bit of an anti climax. Not with this one, taste maches all the promised goodness.

Nose: Liquorish, Black berries, chocolate, cardboard,

Taste: Woody, Grape fruit, Spice, tobacco.

Benromach Origins – Batch 2 (Port pipes)

This Batch was distilled in 1999. First of Benromach expression that is fully matured in wine cask. Typically for them this is very down to earth kind of bottle. Very sweet... only on taste, in spirit it kicks an punch. Fruitiness is from the port is obvious but not over powering. This is a modern mans drink. It goes best with brand new iPad next to your drink. It is Whisky for those who embrase the idea of developing whiskyes further in to the future. If you dont like your innovatively finished Whiskyes, stay away from this. Me, I love it.

Nose: Rose, soap, cream, salad dressing,

Taste: Sweet, fruity, hint of smoke and orange,

Best Whisky bar in London?

After post pay day fruit and veg shopping on Borough Market I needed a drink. For some reason I have never typed the words "best whisky bar in London" to google app. So this Saturday afternoon I did just that. What came at the top of the list was place called Albannach by Trafalgar Square. Close enough, I thought and took the train from London bridge to opposite direction than rest of my family.

For those who have never been there its really easy to find: stand next to Nelsons Column and keep looking left from National gallery and you see it.

It's a swanky looking place. The first thing everyone sees are their strikingly stylish lampshades made of (or to look like) deer horns. It doesn't sound like much but there is lot of them and they are painted white. I was impressed.

The very next thing where eye wonders is whats behind the bar. Certainly impressive looking selection. Around 150 bottles of malt. I enquire Whisky menu, and in deed they have one. First I needed to calibrate my palette after all the samples of olives, chutney and cheese at the market, so it had to be something familiar. Gragganmore 12yo, my old time favourite, did just the trick. It never fails to impress me of how great idea it was from the Scots to start make Whisky.

All tough it was starting to be very busy, the bartender called Vito, seemed to have plenty of time and enthusiasm to chat about whisky. For the second half a measure I went was Dalmore King Alexander III. This one is matured in Sherry, wine, Madeira, Kentucky bourbon , Marsala, and Port casks and is mix of several ages. Basics of this whisky are chocolate, tobacco, liquorish with hints of citrus and almonds. It is extremely pleasurable to to drink, complex yet smooth and creamy. I wouldn't go so far as saying its a triumph but certainly worth blowing the trumpet .

My third and last half measure of the afternoon was Glenrothes 1985. I've always been fan of the Glenrothes brand but this one is the best I've tasted. The leather sofa mixed with fresh forest fruits is match made in heaven, topped with hints of raisins and vanilla. Its definitely one of the best whiskies have had this year. It easily tops my list of next bottle to buy. This is one of them that all whisky drinking public must love. Its as far from Marmate as you can go in terms of Love hate. I detect only love with out conditions.

The time I spent in Albannach was well worth the money. I was sitting by the bar, but for those who like watching people pass by the view is to Trafalgar square. They do food as well, menu looked grand and the cocktails Vito whisked up looked amazing, didn't try then but, I definitely will go back there for few more measures. Maybe even to have something to eat.

Let me know what are thoughts of Albannach or what do you think is the best whisky bar in London?

The Balvenie - 17yo peated cask

What an exciting day!!! The Good people at Balvenie distillery sent 10cl sample bottle of their new product for me: The Balvenie 17yo peated cask. I feel so lucky to be among the first to get taste of this innovative Whisky.

This is what happened: The master distiller David Steward bought some heavily peated barley from local producer. Made spirit out of it and stored it in oak casks. After few years the liquid was transferred to another set of casks. And, here is the interesting thing, usually smoky flavour of whisky comes at the start of proceedings. What Mr. Stewart and his team did next was that they took batch of 17yo. Balvenie, filled the empty casks that had previously had that heavily peated spirit. They left the Whisky there for few months. And end product was highly unusual but excellent tasting Balvenie Whisky.

The Whisky I have been tasting today still has the distinctive honeyd sweetness of Balvennie but with added punch of smoky oak from the casks it was finished in. It is one of those that one would feel proud to offer to a good friend. Its unassuming and once you have it in your mouth there is really no need to talk about it as the taste is to such perfection that it explains itself. Balanced harmony is overwhelming.

You know the feeling when you are with someone you just met and it feels like you two have known each other for years. Well, that's how drinking this feels. I have only positive things to say about the product. Truly recommended.

NOTES:

Nose: Very balanced, nothing really over powering. Peaty smokiness is definitely coming in first but quite equal to, floral, honey, species and subtle hints of liquorish, green grass.

Taste: Smokey oak is dominant at start, very sweet caramel and honey finish with hints of spice and nuttiness at end.

Finnish Whisky - Teerenpeli 6yo

If there is one country in the world that you would think does not do whisky, I bet you would think Finland. They are more known for hard vodka drinking traditions, silly past times and Sibelius. Some people in Mediterranean countries may have seen them drowning few pints of lager, but wine and Whisky never.

I was recommended Teerenpeli chain of restaurants for their excellent selection of beers they brew. And I have to admit, the Teerenpeli beer and lager range is fabulous at least. What I was more impressed was their own brand of Whisky... Or the future of it.

Teerenpeli 6yo is first Finnish Single Malt. 2008 they realised 5yo and logically 2009 6yo. The restaurant I walked in was in central Helsinki. Swanky looking joint with good selection of malts. Without much of thinking I went for the kill and ordered the bad boy in the picture.

Nose: Fruity, Blackcurrant with hints of marmalade, tobacco and leather polish

Body: Mild to Medium

Taste: It really needs few more years in maturation for all the promise of nose to develop in to taste. The over all verdict is of Sweet Woodiness with lots of hints of good things to come. Cannot wait till next release.

Pairing Single Malt and Cigar

Pairing Single Malt and Cigar is easier than you would think. Cigars are put in to three main categories: Mild, Medium and Full bodied. You can easily do the same with whisky.

The simple but important rule is that you find a pair which doesn't try to over power each other. If you pour dram of your best 15yo oak cask MacAllan and pair it with Montecristo Nro 2, the poor whisky has no chance. Your first drag of the Cigar will kill and eliminate everything of the whisky.

But if you choose something similar in power. Like Hoyo de Monterey Corona you'll be surprised how well they blend together. Both have Chocolate, nuts and woodines as part of main characteristics. The flavor will blend in your mouth to something that dreams are made of.

Recommended pairings:
MILD to MEDIUM -----------MacAllan 10yo - Hoyo de Monterey (Corona)
MEDIUM ---------------------Glenfiddich 18yo - Romeo & Julieta (Pelicosos)
MEDIUM to FULL -----------Talisker 10yo - Montecristo Nro 2
FULL BODY ------------------Lagavulin 16yo - Partagas serie D nro 4

Whisky Sauce with peppered beef

For the peppered beef do as you have always done. It is important that the beef is as you like it.

For the new potatoes I recommend butter and chives.

I don't think that Whisky is as natural cooking ingredient as Brandy but it is still if correctly used absolutely divine. In Scotland you can get marmalade's, mustard's, spreads and sauces and pretty much anything with whisky but I believe it is best served in sauce.

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 50ml whiskey
• 1/2 tsp of balsamic vinegar
• 150ml double cream
• black pepper
• Salt

Method:
1. Pour whisky into sauce pan and set it light (this burns some of the alcohol and gets rid of any bitterness)
2. Pour in the cream and seasoning.
3. Put half a spoonful of good quality balsamic vinegar to support the whisky flavor.

Let simmer till consistency is to your taste.

Serve and enjoy

Highlander Inn at Craigellachie

On my resent visit to heartland of my favourite past time I spent two nights in Whisky bar called Highlander Inn. We rented a car (Qashqai) and drove up and down Spayside.

The Highlander Inn is in the centre of the village of Craigellachie it has a bar manager called Tatsuya Minagawa, a Japanese man who's knowledge about Whisky is on league of its own, even at Spayside. He's easily approachable and keen to pass his wisdom. We got in to conversation about adding drop of water in to Single Malt. He was quite clear about it.

Champagne is enjoyed chilled, red vine is enjoyed room temperature, coffee with milk and sugar. From this is easy to conclude that there is a method of drinking. With Whisky the method is adding water.

So what does the water do? There are chemists who can explain numbers and formulas, lecture on reactions. When drinking Whisky what really matters is what makes it taste better, and that is drop of water. For those who are interested about the chemistry, see google for details.

Anyone planning holiday to Speyside I truly recommend visit to Highlander Inn. Not least because it boasts a menu of 700 Whiskys.