DAY 24!!!
I found out, totally by accident when my brother in law blurted it out, that I was going to a New England Patriots game for Christmas. My heart soared. I'm not just a Patriots fan, I'm hard core. 1978 was the first year I watched a game with my friend Roger Gregoire. We left the morning of December 23rd and the game was on Christmas eve. Me, Graham and 75,000 of our closest friends :)
Welcome to day 24. Even as I sit here at the Holiday Inn near Foxborough with the dumbest smile, I'm trying as hard as I can to stay focused and actually nose/taste whisky. Pats Fan first, whisky enthusiast next, sorry.... This is my HAPPY place.
So, there isn't going to be a long write up and there isn't going to be an introduction. Me, the whisky, my notes -> That's it for today, hehehe!
Behind door 24 is a lovely 1988 Bunnahabhain from Single Cask Nation. Let's just right in shall we cause I've got a GAME TO GET TO!!!
Single Cask Nation, 1988 Bunnahabhain 28 year old, 51.3% ABV. Refill Hogshead cask #7403.
Colour: Hard to believe this is a refill sherry cask? But then again, this advent calendar has changed my thought on what to expect for colour. It's the lightest of golds.
Nose: A waxy honeycomb (reminds me of Clynelish actually?!) It's a bit spicier though. I love that I get a complex array of aromas. After it's sat in the glass, the sweetness of butterscotch really comes out.
Palate: Just a little too strong for me, all I initially got was a very "burny" whisky. So, after a bit of water this really changes to a creamy creme caramel. Very nice indeed.
Finish: My goodness this a huge hit of LEMON! My whole mouth watered from the tartness. There is also a a bit of spice there that I often think reminds me of Chinese Five Spice.
I took the rest of the dram to the Patriots game and let me tell you after a 41-3 win over the Jets, was even more of a fabulous whisky!!! I LOVED, LOVED, LOOOOVED my whole day.
Thank you Graham for being a fantastic partner. You know exactly what I need when I need it.
Tomorrow we drive home and I can't wait to open the last day of the advent calendar!!!
Head over to see what Jonathan thought of day 24: www.singlemalting.com
Stay tuned for the LAST reveal tomorrow....
Merry Christmas my lovely whiskyfabric friends!
Lassie
Day 9 dawns earlier than usual, as we traditionally go to our local City Market the second Friday of December for an annual fundraiser for our local food banks. Graham and I have been attending this for 10 years. It means getting up at 5:00am to make sure we are in line for our CBC Harbour Light mugs. I know... makes you sound a bit crazy right? But... we know and support our local food banks as best we can. It is a ritual and tradition we love to do every year. We arrive at the market, the local CBS morning show (Shout out to @infoamsj) is all set up, the market is decorated for Christmas, our friends, neighbours and the vendors (which we have come to know over the course of 31 years of living here) are all there as well. The mayor's breakfast is prepared and served by his worshis Don Darling and all of the councilors. It's kitchy, but all the money is also donated to the fundraiser. It's a fabulous couple of hours that we enjoy every year.
We didn't get home until 8:00am so we literally ran in the door and got ready for work. I realized at about 8:15 that I completely forgot to run down to check my advent whisky today. Off I went, once again excited at the prospect of what was behind the magical door!
The reveal: Loch Lomond Croftengea, 10 year old. A grin spread across my lips because I have a feeling that I am going to really enjoy this one because this is from a friend's company Jason Johnstone-Yellin - Single Cask Nation whom I met at a fabulous whisky festival in New York City in 2013. He and his partner Joshua Hatton formed this little company that has a huge following. These guys have some of the best noses in the USA! Ask anyone who buy these bottles on a regular basis. Hence, I couldn't wait to pour just a little sipper in a whisky glass and POUR I did...
The minute I even crack the little sample bottle, the aromas waft upward. This is a HUGE little dram. Now I'm torn, because I really want to take a few minutes to nose and take a quick sip but I really can't. So, I did my usual = Super quick sniffing and dip, double dip finger... (The one time, it's ok to double dip!) It's good.... it's really good!
By the time 5:00pm rolled around I was tired but so happy to make it home to my lovely little dram. Oddly enough though, I couldn't find it. I pretty much looked everywhere and was really getting exasperated. Why couldn't I remember where the heck I put it...? Come on I'm thinking, I was really looking forward to this. I kept looking everywhere but nothing. I started looking in pockets and even my day bag (just in case I absent-mindedly put it there and took it to work!? ;)
Until finally, I just stopped and yelled out to Graham and for whatever reason, he knew exactly where I had left it... On the kitchen table with a Glencairn glass. BIZARRE!? I truly have no recollection of leaving it there... Lack of sleep, excitement... or, well let's face it maybe a little old age (I am older, hehe) That lovely old arm chair beckoned and I gratefully obliged. My body sunk down to "It's Friday night and I am so happy to be home" level and I poured a generous dram of the Loch Lomond into my glass. Slowly I nosed/tasted and mostly sat in silence while I did so.
Single Cask Nation, Loch Lomond Croftengea 10 year old, 55.6% ABV, Refill bourbon hogshead cask 486
Colour: We will call this one "Barely there". It reminds me of a young Ardbeg, almost nothing...
Nose: This is such a full body dram! Maybe it's because I am a little hungry but this smells like a BBQ pulled pork sandwich... it's slightly smoky and meaty. It pulled me into the glass and made my mouth water.
Palate: OILY, rich with a super mouth feel, with a bit of water it becomes creamy sweet/sour experience. This is just as huge on the palate as it was on the nose!
Finish: Hmmm, this is sweet and slightly peaty finish it's sort of like exhaling those little port soaked cigars from my teenage years!
Well wow... You Single Cask Nation boys really picked a cracker from this distillery. Jonathan, please keep using some of these whiskies for future Advent Calendars.
Day 9 started off on the right foot doing something I love to do every year and it certainly finished the right away too. So, from my humble little patch of the #whiskyfabric I wish you all a fantastic Friday.
Don't forget to check out what Jonathan's thoughts on today's dram at: www.singlemalting.com.
AND... he has a real treat for tomorrow's reveal as he plans on unveiling it on Facebook live so come check it out at 7:00pm Eastern Standard Time on Saturday December 10th. I will certainly be there, I hope you will too!!
Feet up, whisky in glass... later y'all
Lassie
