Lassie's top 12 countdown for 2016 - Number 9 Great uncle Donnie's gift

On March 25th, Donald MacKenney passed away at the age of 82. He was Graham's great uncle. A bachelor who never married or had children of his own. He loved to cook, he loved to tell corny jokes and he loved his nieces and nephews dearly. Uncle Donnie as we called him, was the patriarch of the MacKenney clan. 

Now, those of you who know me know that I'm a huge proponent of opening your whiskies now, while you are here and able to enjoy them. I always cringe when I hear people say: "Oh, I'm saving that one for a special occasion". Why do we need special occasions to open some of these? Isn't the fact that we are here, in the present, enough? Those were the questions I always pondered in my head but never said out loud. 

In late April when we were helping clean out uncle Donnie's house, we found several old bottles of liquor in the basement. George (Graham's dad) looked at a few of them and asked if Graham and I wanted an old ceramic crock of Ballantine's that was tucked away under the bar. Apparently, Donnie had been holding on to it for a special occasion. I shook my head... Another example of the "special occasion" that never came. Graham examined the crock and thanked his dad. When we got it home, we examined it a bit closer. It was filthy, covered in years of dirt and neglect. We did a bit of research and discovered that it was from the 1960's but we had no idea what the condition of the liquid was like inside. 

Donnie's was cleaned, everything was gone and the house was ready to be sold. Life... moved on. I went to Scotland, spent an amazing 3 weeks there. Graham stayed home and got the boat ready for launch. The next thing we knew it was the 3rd week of June and father's day was around the corner. We invited everyone over for a family dinner. George, Micky, Colin and his fiance Stephanie. After the meal, Graham went downstairs and brought up the Ballantine's. He poured everyone a dram and then surprised us with the whiskies. Jokingly Graham warned us this could be most horrible and so we raised our glasses to the memory of Donnie. In silence we drammed. George had a few tears in his eyes, which of course caused the rest of us to get a bit emotional as well. My father in law took very good care of his uncle in those last years of his life. It's what family does and I could not be prouder to be part of this one. The whisky, by the way, was absolutely sublime. 

Donald MacKenney

We all took turns telling stories about Donnie that night, we laughed and we truly enjoyed this very old and special whisky. I had a bit of an epiphany. I realized that even though I'm a staunch believer in opening and enjoying my whiskies, we would have never had the chance to try the Ballantine's the way we did if Donnie was of the same mindset. The reality is, the special occasion in this case, was Donnie himself.

I will likely never drink all the whiskies we have in our collection, mind you we will try our best ;) But I do know, that there is some comfort in knowing there just might be a few bottles left over that will be opened and toasted in my own honour when I leave this place we call earth. 

As always, my thought is share those whiskies with the people you love now, but... now I'll add: Maybe hold on to a few just in case you know people who might appreciate raising a toast in your honour once you pass.

Cheers and can't wait to tell you what lies ahead for the rest of the top 12... 


Lassie

Day 25 - The grand finale Samaroli 34 year old blended scotch

"It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags!" The Grinch

As I awoke on December 25th in a hotel room far away from home (oh this could go off the rails right from the start!?) cuddled up next to Graham (Lassie redeems herself) I knew it was Christmas. The reality is, I really wasn't much in a festive mood this year at all so I was never more thankful to have it be "just another day". Graham surprised me this year with a getaway trip to Boston for a New England Patriots game. Blessed. 

The great part of the trip was seeing a few whisky friends along the way: Darren McInnis (no relation), Bob Caron and the aunts (I LOVE those ladies) and a long list of whisky discoveries thanks to Bikram Singh at Norfolk Wine and Spirits. This man appreciates the whisky geek in all of us as he simply pointed us to "the room": Try whatever you like. We bought three great bottles as a result. 

I've said it hundreds of times before, do not underestimate the power and kindness of the #whiskyfabric around us. It's magical, important, friendly and REAL. It does envelope me 365 days of the year and regardless of what some of the nay-sayers might think, for me it's better than celebrating the madness of one day we "Christians" call Christmas. 

We packed up our suitcase, our whiskies and hit the road to home. 9 hours later, we were at Graham's parents for a very late turkey dinner. I was trying desperately to simply "live in the moment" and appreciate that we were opening gifts, spending time with family but in the back of my mind I knew I had to open door 25, nose/taste the whisky and write a blog. It was almost 10:00pm when my mother in law said: "So you two spending the night?", I looked at Graham and he stared at me. "Sure", I said... and I let go of it. The whisky will simply have to wait. 

We got home at noon on boxing day. I literally just threw all of our stuff on the kitchen floor. Rushed down the stairs in my winter boots to open door 25. I knew what it was ahead of time as friends had posted in on twitter but to see the bottle with my own eyes was pretty cool. Up to the armchair for one last time, reached for a nosing glass and plopped myself down to enjoy the last dram of my amazing whisky advent calendar. I've quickly become a huge fan of Samaroli and will now actively seek out getting more of these bottles.

Samaroli 34 year old blended whisky, 40% ABV. Sherry Butt cask #18.

Color: Dark and old mahogany furniture.

Nose: Tobacco leaves, old cigar room and rich leather. A bit of unsweetened chocolate on the backdrop. Maybe a bit of Indians spices too. 

Palate: Just as complex as the nose. Star of anise, rum soaked Christmas fruit cake (with orange peel, candied cherries) and just a hint of tannic flavour reminiscent of roasted coffee beans dipped in dark chocolate.  GOOD LORD!?

Finish: Cointreau or some other orange liqueur I've tasted before. Overwhelmingly warm, satisfying orange compote with cloves. So mouthwatering, it really took me by surprise.

I sat in silence for the better part of an hour while Graham walked Miles. I looked over the last 25 days of pieces I wrote about each whisky. All so different, some very pleasing, some not so much for this Lassie. Through it all, it was one discovery after the next and the journey along the way seemed long yet at the same time short. Memories created, people remembered, moments shared, bruises (my elbow still hurts, hehe)... friendships, new whiskies, some old favourites and now it's all done. But is it, really? 

I had almost pretty much stopped blogging this past summer. With family responsibilities taking on a new role in my life, it was really hard at first to come to terms where things might be headed. When Jonathan asked me to be the guest writer this year, I was thrown for a loop but at the same time excited at the thought of writing a blog every single day. I was never short on stories or adventures (that part wasn't a surprise)... The surprise was the whiskies and how people reacted to the blog rising like a phoenix. 

Thank you, to all of you... It's been a weird sort of 2016, if not globally, for many of us who have lost someone we love, lost a job, struggled with mental illness or whatever else "we" went through. Just remember, this like the whiskies in our lives are simply moments. 

Some are fantastic, some are weird, some are duds, some are downright ugly... We, in the end survive and move along. The advent calendar may be done, but the blog will not go silent. Thank you Jonathan for entrusting me with this gift and honour. 

Oh my goodness I almost forgot Jonathan!!!

www.singlemalting.com

As 2016 comes to a close, I ponder at what lies ahead for many of us. Keep it real, love your family/friends and share your whiskies :)

Respectfully and with all my love, from the whisky armchair... I raise my glass to you all. 

Johanne

Day 16, Ball clacking cold with just the right remedy - Samaroli Islay Whisky

You know... I often talk about the fact that Canadians are used to experiencing the four seasons. Well, this morning the first thing I heard on the radio was that we were going to break the record that was set in 1970 for coldest December 16th ever. It was -36C this morning with the wind chill. That meant, advisories to keep your skin covered, for the homeless to try and find shelter, to not leave your pets out. Graham calls it: "Ball clacking cold"...  

The second clue that it was really, really ^#$%!{^# cold outside was that my dog, a Bernese mountain dog, bred to pull carts in deep snow in Switzerland refused to go outside to do his business. But the grand finale was when my friend Chris London posted the weather warning on our local weather network website:

Yah... you see correctly, that does say a Moose-licking warning issued in this Canadian province.

Needless to say, I got out my winter layers: Long johns, wool socks, -60C rated boots, scarf, mittens, etc... girl's gotta be ready for the worst!? Once I was done prepping, I went down to the basement to quickly open my little door, today is #16. And like some magical or perfect coincidence, low and behold the PERFECT whisky for this type of bone chilling weather: A Samaroli (another one!!) Islay blended 8 year old. Cap off immediately, nose and just a small nip. After all, a little fortification on this type of day is clearly needed. READY for work!!! 

Long day and by the time I actually made it home, I was thankful the week was over. This whisky was going to be a well deserved dram! Hello armchair and ahhhhhhhhh....

Samaroli Islay 8 year old, 43% ABV Cask #1883, Refill Hogshead.

Colour: White grape juice (another -> Barely any colour).

Nose: Wet slate, PVC piping washed with hospital disinfectant!!

Palate: Oily, ashy peat (partly burnt wood in the fireplace), white grapefruit rind.

Finish: Peated yummy goodness that had a nice warming effect.

From a peathead's perspective this is a young brash but well balanced dram. It's got some bite and it is very satisfying as far as Islay whiskies go. Another clear winner of the advent calendar. Let's take a peak at what Jonathan thought:

www.singlemalting.com


If this is something you think you might like, Jonathan may be able to find you one, just maybe!

Well, I'm hoping warmer weather is coming but for the time being.... this will stay out for a few days just in case!


Cheers,

Johanne

Lassie's top 10 memorable drams for 2015 - #3 The loveliest of drams...

Every year people around the world make new year's resolutions, me not so much... 

I do have the habit of making a list of things I want to do, see or get for the upcoming year. It's nothing crazy but from a whisky perspective it just gives me some incentives to try and find whiskies that are either bucket list or the "must try and buys".

But... sometimes, living in North America can have its disadvantages when it comes to whisky availability. This particular whisky was released in the UK and flew off the shelves. I started asking around to see if any of it would make it to Canada and it didn't appear like it would. Problem: I wasn't going to Scotland until May and I knew there wouldn't be any left so I got a hold of a friend who lived outside Edinburgh and asked if I could get a bottle of this whisky delivered to his house if I ordered a bottle. Without hesitation he said yes and I ordered immediately. The great part of not only getting the whisky was the fact that it allowed me to introduce him to Graham and we got to spend an afternoon dramming and talking on Queen Street. 

I've already written about this whisky in a blog this year, here is the "sort of" review...

http://whiskylassie.blogspot.ca/2015/04/velvet-fig-review-sort-of.html

Since the review, not only did I get my own bottles (yes plural....) but while I was visiting Scotland I had the best night with Jacqueline Sutherland @WemyssJacque and she opened a bottle of Velvet Fig with Graham and I... (I had 3 drams that night!) not to mention she fed us so much delicious food I was ready to burst. I still crave the shortbread we had that night. The BEST I have ever tasted!

Velvet Fig was/is a fabulous whisky that transported me to wonderful memories, that made me forget where I was and offered me the best gift ever: Pure enjoyment. And now, as promised... a proper nosing/tasting. 

Velvet Fig, Wemyss Malts, 46% ABV

Nose: Big, bold and full of sweet sherry notes. Then the overwhelming but absolutely mouthwatering smell of fresh ripe figs. Baking spices come next. 

Palate: Not only does it match the nose, it's even bolder. My whole mouth exploded with rich dried fruits, full bodied with a nutty background. 

Finish: Long, lingering, warm with more figs and a bit of ginger root heat. 

This is rich velvety figs from start to finish and everything else that comes with it: Friends, memories and simple enjoyment. Those drams are few and far in between so when they happen they are very special to me. Hence, this was easily in my top 3 for 2015. 

I plan on opening a bottle of Velvet Fig in January to share with all of my friends. It's doubtful it will last for very long. Hope you got a bottle too! 


Lassie

PS -> Happy Birthday Jacqueline xox

You ready to join the revolution?

As a self-professed whisky geek there are very few whiskies that I will try but NEVER drink again. I can count 3 times in my 30 years of imbibing where I can clearly remember a whisky that fits in that category. The first and worst was with a blend and it was truly disastrous. As I recall it combined spitting, several expletive comments and a mad dash to the bathroom to pour the contents of my glass down the toilet immediately followed by brushing my teeth. Ahhh blends! Now, honestly, ten years ago I would have said I prefer single malts over blends but that was before the 2nd revolution. All I knew back then was Johnnie Walker, Bells and Teachers. Whoa whoa whoa!!! Wait a minute Lassie, back up the truck did you just say this is the second revolution? Yes, that's exactly what I said.

History lesson time my friends: Let's go back to the mid 19th century. Irish whiskey was queen -> Yes, you read correctly. The whiskey from Ireland was the world's sweetheart and Scotch was mostly crap. Now don't send me hate mail because these are the facts... However; the Scots got really smart and started distilling grain whisky. They in turn blended those with their single malts which created a milder product much more suitable to the foreign palate. By the mid 20th century Johnnie Walker was now king and blended Scotch whiskies were being drunk all over the world. Then came the disastrous 80's where the bottom of many whisky distilleries fell out. Closures, mothballs, bankruptcies and loads of whisky barrels sitting in warehouses occurred. Not long after that, the birth of "age statement" whisky was born. (That's the Cliff note versions...)

My favorite 80's show, MASH, quote: 

Radar: Is 12 year old scotch ok for everybody?
Colonel Blake: Yeah, fine Radar, perfect.
Radar: (as he hands him a glass) Uh, I ran out of ice sir so I used bourbon.

Blends took a back seat as aged statements demanded the stage. The blended whiskies became the bottle to have on hand if your grandfather came over or if you had a friend who liked mixing it with coke. 

Then comes the 2nd revolution of the 21st century (oh good you are still paying attention). 

Recognize that guy? Well if you don't you are still a single malt snob or worse you've been living in the mountains off the grid for the last 15 years?! John Glaser, ex Johnnie Walker International Marketing Director, who founded Compass Box Whisky Co. in 2000. This highly respected man has been featured at least 5 times as Whisky Innovator of the year and the range of Compass Box spirits have won close to 75 awards including package design. This company has rocked and pushed the limits of definition to the point where the SWA had no choice but to pay attention and as a result changed some of their rules and regulations... which of course caused the rest of us in the whisky world to wonder what exactly Compass Box Whiskies were all about?  

Still have no clue what I'm talking about? Awwww man now I seriously feel for you at this point ;) 

Behold the loveliness:

These John Glaser creations are the not bland harsh young whiskies thrown together for the sake of mass consumption! Au contraire my whisky frère, these are small batch, high quality blends. I will even go as far as saying these are a whisky art form. Yes, yes, I know there are many, MANY blends on the market that are not even fit to clean your garden shears but the same can be said for wine, beer or any other spirit on the market. What I'm saying is, from a chemistry perspective, blending is a far more complex and creative process and when done right demonstrates a deep understanding of distillery whisky & flavour profiles. It's the difference between buying a canned spaghetti sauce and watching an Italian display the magnificient relationship between garlic, fresh vine tomatoes and basil by creating the most delicate yet delicious marinara you've just tasted. 

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT HERE!!!! 

Still don't believe me? Well then I will tell you from personal experience what it feels like to create your own blend. You see on my fabulous trip to the UK in 2014 I had the pleasure and honor of attending the Compass Box School of Blending. We spent the better part of a day with a hands learning experience about the fascinating process of making a blended whisky. 

The first thing we did, of course was enjoy a few whiskies, as one should on a Friday morning :)

Then we proceeded to learn about many of the core whiskies that Compass Box has on the market. This involved an intense hour of schooling about what goes into each of the five whiskies we had before us. 
Many opportunities to ask questions, take notes and truly understand the compositions for Asyla, Oak Cross, Spice Tree, Peat Monster and Hedonism. Then it was our turn to use all the tools and information we were provided to create, name and bottle our own blend. If I wasn't already brimming ear to ear like a true geek we then relaxed while we were offered the opportunity to sample some of the whiskies of years gone by. Glass in hand the room came to a hush as we sat in an enlightened state of pure whisky bliss as we sipped the holy grails of the Compass Box world. I think I may have cried a little when I experienced this one: 

At the end of the day I left an even bigger fan and/or geek. If ever you have the chance to speak to John Glaser he's a lovely man who truly is passionate about his whiskies (and he's got great taste in music -> Miles Davis poster in his office). He takes the time at almost every whisky show I've ever seen him at to spend it with the people who come to the table. Mr Glaser never rushes, always has an ear for every fan and is more than happy to introduce a novice to the core line. 

One of the greatest things I love about Compass Box is the fact that I use them to demonstrate to "blend nay-sayer friends" that it's not crap. So, I have a tendency to say: What shall I pour and when they say surprise me, I do... I usually pour a Spice Tree, an Oak Cross or as of late The General. The absolute joy I get listening to them go on about what a great single malt they are nosing/tasting followed by the shocking gasp when I say: it's a blend, surprise is simply devilish! I dare say, often they sit speechless until finally they ask for the price and whether it's available at our local liquor establishment. A few months down the road, I'll notice they have a bottle in their own collection and no longer badmouth blends. But then again, it goes to show that good whisky made by innovative people doesn't need a number on the bottle nor does it have to be a single malt to have value for money appeal. 

I'd also like to mention John is not the only one who is doing this. He may have started the 2nd revolution but since then many companies have also been producing some really amazing blends. This is currently my top 10 list:

1. Blue Hanger: Any of them

2. Chivas: 18 year old

3. Cutty Sark: Prohibition

4. Douglas Laing: Big Peat, Timorous Beastie

5. Duncan Taylor: Black Bull 12

6. Monkey Shoulder: Any of them

7. Spencerfield Spirits: Pig's Nose, Sheep Dip

8. Springbank: Campbeltown Loch 21 (My newest discovery - DELISH)

9. Tweeddale: Any of them

10. Wemyss: Lord Elcho 15, The Hive 8, Velvet Fig

And I SHIT you not when I say the following: I practice what I preach. I own a blend from every of the above ten above mentioned. If you don't believe me, let me know and I'll happily post a picture to you.

Are you still complaining about single malt prices going through the roof? I'm not. I know where the value for money is (for me) and right now it's in good quality blends. Then again, I don't put much thought into age statements. I simply am a consumer who loves and shares good whisky. 

So: VIVE LA RÉVOLUTION and let me drink blends! Be damned the people who don't know any better or who choose to wear whisky blinders because in the end that means more for those of us with open minds and wallets. 

Now, if you'll excuse me there's a Compass Box Cocktail waiting with my name on it to start my lovely weekend.  

Cheers #whiskyfabric and until next time.

Lassie

There's a chill in the air, time for autumn warmers!

It's really nice having "go to" whiskies. We just celebrated a lovely Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada and after the guests went home, the kitchen was cleaned and I was able to put my feet up for a few seconds I wanted a nice whisky I could sip on quietly while I read. I instinctively reached for Copper Pot from Forty Creek. It was so good, I had two drams. Reminded me how much certain whiskies are really appealing when it comes to the different seasons we experience here in Canada.

Thought I'd repost from my days of blogging as "Perfect Whisky Match"...

For those who read my blog regularly you must know by now how much I love Canadian whiskies. Of course I do have my favorites and Forty Creek is one of them. Prior to tasting John Hall's whiskies, there were very few Canadian whiskies that I owned more than one bottle of. I like Wisers and Gibsons, I have 2 bottles of each. However I have almost all of the Forty Creek releases because John Hall opened my eyes to a new avenue of whisky that many still refuse to believe exists in Canada. 

Like most other master distillers in the world, John works very hard at maintaining the quality of his award winning whiskies while constantly developing new products for future markets. Copper Pot was his release for 2012. I and many other fans have gone through several bottles of this particular release and I am never without a bottle in my collection.

Autumn here in Canada is one of the most beautiful times of the year. People from around the world flock to our country to experience the brisk morning air, warm sunny afternoons and the long shadows cast by the sun by day's end. The red maple leafs, yellow birches and copper oak leaves are abundant and breathtakingly beautiful. I am in awe every year as the transition from summer to fall takes place. Out come the warm wool socks and gloves and the fall/winter whiskies too! Copper Pot Reserve is an autumn whisky for me. The bottle even has an orange hue and golden highlights while the elixir within a rich deep golden amber to match.

One of the great things about John that sets him apart from the other distillers in North America is that he's a trailblazer and a perfectionist in his craft. 

Pot still distillation is not the most efficient or easiest to use but John swears by it for some of his whiskies. The pot stills transfer characters to the whiskies that is not readily created over and over again. This likely means each batch is somewhat unique. I like that. It's truly what I think being Canadian is all about. We don't aim to look like everyone else and to be "Canadian" means we are all individuals with our own distinct personalities. You will find no melting pot mentality here. 

No wonder I like Forty Creek so much, it represents what I feel being Canadian is all about. This dram has such a wonderful warmth that I always have a very content feeling after finishing it. It has a hugely satisfying, full bodied and spicy profile. 

I think releasing this at 43% ABV was a great idea. Some people describe this particular release as Forty Creek Barrel Select on steroids. Although I can still taste the Forty Creek profile, I tend to think it's more like the NEON version. It's Barrel select but MAGNIFIED in amplitude when it comes to the aromas and flavors. It's a much bolder version and yet another great example of how John thinks outside the typical Canadian whisky box to create something that is exciting, different and surprising.

A Danish blogger friend of mine was in Canada the summer this was released and I helped arrange a tour for him to visit to the distillery. Copper Pot wasn't quire ready yet so when I got my first bottle I asked him if he wanted to try it: YES ->Was the resounding answer heard across the Atlantic. So a sample was sent and he nosed, tasted and reviewed it. He rates his whiskies and gave it an 86 out of a 100. Not bad at all, if I do say so myself. Here is his website in case you would like to read:

http://danishwhiskyblog.blogspot.ca/

And there's also this guy "Ralfy" that you may have heard of :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl11L4GOVsk

And if you are still reading my blog, here is what I thought the first time I tasted it.

FORTY CREEK COPPER POT RESERVE, 43% ABV

COLOR: Golden sunshine in a glass. Hues of deep amber with flickers of orange. When my glass was coated it was somewhat viscous and the legs although plentiful slow to travel down the glass.  

NOSE: Peppery!, Very nice level of spice. A sweet butterscotch creaminess, and then it hit me. Kraft Caramels I used to get in my Halloween bag! WHOA! I let that memory sit for a moment. At the back I could detect some very bitter grapefruit pith. Once I added water, it tamed a bit of the spice and black cherries or rich black berries (very sweet) appeared. The water opened another familiar fall item of my childhood: Date squares. 

PALATE: The spice grabs your whole mouth so hold on! Nice mouth watering feel and explosion of flavors immediately. Cloves and a handful of cinnamon candies or maybe closer to the hot tamales candy I also use to get at Halloween, fiery! Once I added the water it toned down the spicy and a beautiful flavor of dark cocoa and bitter oranges came to the forefront. If Terry's Chocolate Orange made one with dark 85% cocoa and Seville oranges - This is what it would taste like I'm sure of it.

FINISH: So sweet. I had anticipated a long lingering burn because of all the spiciness on the nose and palate, but got just the opposite. The burn was there: instantaneous on the swallow BUT then this glorious silky sweet finish took over and lasts.   

EMPTY GLASS:  So sweet, almost bourbon like. Next morning reminded me of maple sap with a hint of vanilla.

John Hall successfully creates interesting and complex whiskies year after year. Copper Pot, not expensive - Less then $30. Available across Canada (except Québec - sorry)  Value for money - YES. Nice sipping whisky - YESS. Forty Creek brilliance in a glass - YESSS! (Sorry, I'll stop screaming from the soap box now.) 

The point is if you want to sip a whisky that warms you to the core on a cold autumn evening, I would strongly recommend you consider getting a bottle of this.

Now if you'll excuse me it's time to rotate spring/summer to the back of the closets and take out the fall/winter clothing to the front. Same goes for my whiskies too!   

Later, this could take awhile...

Lassie

A whisky that stopped the world for 90 minutes - Compass Box The General...

THE GENERAL - 1926 Silent Film directed by Buster Keaton

Buster Keaton...  

Voted one of the greatest US filmmakers of all times. His "shtick" ► The art of deadpan delivery combined with physical comedy. He appeared in over 100 different movies during the span of his long career and his movie "The General" is listed as the 18th on the 100 best American movies ever made.

When the news came out in November of 2013 that Compass Box was releasing The General, I was thrilled to hear that a limited amount would be coming to Canada and then the news came that I would be receiving a bottle. Can you say "truly blessed". 

Flash forward to March 12th, 2014. We have just got home from work, it's Graham's 35th birthday and he's outside on the front lawn playing with the dogs for a few minutes while I make us some coffee.  For those of you who don't know my husband very well, he's a very old soul. He really should have been born in the era of the 30-40's. Graham loves classic movies like Casablanca, an American in Paris, Lawrence of Arabia and many more. He prefers the simple things in life, the era where you made your own snowshoes, planted your garden or listened to jazz on the radio (all things he does). 

As I watched him jumping around dressed in his Scottish tweed jacket and hand knit tuque that belonged to his grandfather I was once again reminded how much I appreciate that he's a classic in his own rights. I knew I wanted us to share a special dram for his birthday so I went and got my bottle of The General, placed it on the kitchen table and knocked on the front window. He came over quizzically. I got my camera ready and pointed to the bottle on the table.  This is the shot I got: 

Needless to say he was plenty shocked and extremely excited that we would be opening that bottle for his birthday. I didn't realize until after we sat with our drams how appropriate the whisky and moment would be. Much later on that evening when we were huddled on the couch with two glencairns, Graham passed me the bottle. I passed it back to him and said: "No, it's your birthday, you get to open it".  

"Really??" Another huge smile then he poured us each a healthy dram. Another few moments captured by the camera.  

We lifted our glasses and toasted each other at 11:00pm. We just sat there, smelling the whisky for the first 10 minutes while Graham read the back of the bottle. I tend to move to tasting much faster most of the time and this was no different. We nosed and sipped the whisky and it wasn't until Graham savored the last few drops that we realized it was 12:30am. We had nosed/drank the whisky over the course of 90 minutes and had not a care in the world. As we fell into bed, he kissed my forehead. "That was the best birthday dram ever".

Ladies & gentlemen, I give you: COMPASS BOX THE GENERAL, BOTTLE #957 of 1698.  Non-chill filtered, natural color, bottled at 53.4% ABV.

Color: Walnut wood! Dark, antique brown.  Legs slow, lazy and almost syrupy in nature.

Nose: So rich and full on the nose it makes your mouth water. Smells of rich red plums, an old library with big leather chairs & long wooden tables. As it sits in the glass and opens I get rum soaked golden sultanas or a rich rum cake.

Palate: Oily, full bodied dram.  Almost "meaty" and chewable. Detectable stewed fruit some hints of light cooking spices like ginger and cinnamon. As the whisky opens a bit, I can detect some woody components as it's a bit drying on the swallow but it's the balance of sweet and meaty that really makes this special for me.

Finish: Just as you swallow there's a hint of sour wood, almost "pithy" a bit like a lemon, then the lovely spicy heat as it lingers for what seems like 5 minutes. It's almost silky and you certainly don't feel like you are drinking a whisky that is almost 55% ABV.

Empty glass: This morning when I uncovered the glencairn a very distinct smell of lemon furniture polish hit me. Waxy, sweet and citrus.  wow...

It wasn't until I nosed the glass this morning that I really had a chance to reflect on the whisky and the moment yesterday. People might think others are crazy to pay $260 for a blended whisky. Me, I'm a live and let live kinda guy, errr I mean girl. If you like a whisky and you have the means to pay for it, why not buy it especially if it's something you really enjoy. 

Compass Box calls this release a whisky with an "antique" character.  For me, it was more than that. It was a whisky that brought me back in time. There are speculations that some of the whisky is 40 years old in this bottle. I'm sure it's a complete coincidence that Buster Keaton passed away not long before that. Funny how in 2014 they both find themselves showcased on/in the same bottle. Only seems fitting since both of these will be remembered as legendary.

After enjoying my first dram of The General, I would have to say John Glaser brilliantly created something that doesn't quite exist in the world of blended whiskies and I for one have never tasted anything else like this. There is more than old whisky in this bottle. There is nostalgia, history, simpler times and quality! 

It's a whisky I see myself sipping at when I've had the day from hell and I simply need a reminder of what I am grateful for in my life. A dram that will stop the world from spinning and let me slow down & enjoy the moment. 

I will fondly remember watching how happy Graham was to open this bottle, savoring it together on a cold stormy winter night in March and most of all how much pleasure it brought me to share it with someone so special. Happy Birthday my dear...  

The General is completely sold out in Canada and was released in the USA at the beginning of March 2014. It is still available in some parts of the UK as well. If you love Compass Box as much as I do, you may want to consider buying this one before it's completely gone.

Lassie

Memorable 2013 drams - Dram #9, Lesson in pronunciation & blends...

 Many will complain there are TOO MANY twitter tastings taking place. On the date of this being published, there are 2 to 3 a week. I suppose for most people just sitting on the sidelines that could be quite frustrating considering the twitter sphere blows up and is "busy" with hashtag, tasting notes and conversation for 2-3 hours. But for the people taking part, it can be lots of fun trying new whiskies and being engaged in fantastic conversations. I love good twitter tastings and I've been very fortunate to be one of the few North Americans who gets to take part in the UK tastings. This year I was fortunate enough to be a part of: Compass Box, Balblair, Mackmyra, Tomatin and Wemyss.

The last one especially - Wemyss, was so much fun because it was a surprise. My good friend Dave Worthington (@whiskydiscovery) was super kind and sent me 1/2 of the samples he received for their twitter tasting but we kept it a surprise. The day of the tasting I joined in and we had a blast. 

I had never tried the Wemyss Whiskies before and I loved them so much I bought them. So, don't discount twitter tastings too much, they might be a bit of an annoyance to some but I think they help in promoting and allowing consumers to try whiskies they may not have otherwise. 

If you'd like more information about Wemyss please check out their website:

http://www.wemyssmalts.com/

Dram 9 - King

So in July when we were travelling I finally got the chance to buy a few bottles and I opened one that I hadn't tried in the twitter tasting called Spice King 8 year old. Here are my notes:

Color: Golden yellow with long skinny legs. Seems quite viscous in the glass.

Nose: A bit of a maritimish aroma to this (which confused me), hints of iodine? Dark bananas. After I let is sit for awhile the spices become quite predominant but it seemed to take a bit of time. 

Palate: Full bodied with an oily mouthfeel. wow - does not match the nose, what a surprise! Salted chocolate caramels. Huge spice explosion.

Finish: Long, warm and lingering. What a deliciously sinful dram.

This dram really surprised me and I fell in love with it. It opened my eyes to another company doing blends very well. I also found out that the major component of Spice King is Talisker, which happens to be a distillery close to my heart.

So thank you to Dave Worthington for having a big heart and sharing without him I doubt that I would have discovered this lovely whisky and the fine Malts of Wemyss. 

OH, by the way the pronunciation is "Wheems". Never did find out why, but not one I'll soon forget.

Wemyss malts are available in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. This particular bottle cost me $50.00 and I deem it a fantastic value for money whisky discovery for 2013.

See you tomorrow when number 8 will be revealed.

Cheers!

Lassie