Day 23 - And what should appear but another Samaroli that I hold dear!

Day 23 and my alarm goes off as it usually does on a Friday, however, I’m not getting up to go to work. I am on vacation. So what, pray tell, is the Lassie up so early for?

My lovely husband and I are driving to Boston today (7 hour drive) to go to a New England Patriots game on Christmas Eve. Now, some of you might think that sounds a little crazy right before the big day but honestly, I am not a huge fan of Christmas to begin with so when Graham surprised me with this little trip, well… this Lassie was overjoyed because he knows how much I struggle this time of year. This is exactly the perfect gift for me. Thank you Graham…

So the adventure began early enough where I was running around the house, packing Patriots gear, checking weather reports, getting the animals ready to go stay at “nanny & grampy’s” and packing up a care package for my dear friend Bob in New Hampshire. Car packed by 8:30, a few last minute items to take care of and then run down the stairs to open #23 and #24 (I am not cheating, I won’t be home tomorrow!!) I was stunned to see another Samaroli in my advent calendar, this is really going to be a great trip indeed!!! I won’t reveal what day 24 was, but also excited about that one.

We were on the road by 10:30 am.  Passports? Check! Patriots’ tickets? Check! Whisky & glassware? Check! And…most importantly: Patriots scarf, hat, long johns and jersey CHECK!! We have other things that we need like warm clothes, podcasts downloaded (Hey Mark Gillespie), directions to our hotel and a last minute surprise whisky tasting with our friend Darren McInnis from the North Shore Whisky Club later tonight.

After crossing into the United States through the New Brunswick/Maine border, we listened to a podcast, ate some lunch, talked while Graham drove. It was a sunny and somewhat mild afternoon. The sun glistened on the trees and we both sat in silence, simply mesmerized by the beauty of the scenery around us. It’s rustic, majestic and lovely. We drove through Maine, New Hampshire and arrived in Mansfield to meet our friend Darren at the Norfolk Wine & Spirits where @CachacaDave (Dave Catania) was pouring some Amrut Indian whiskies. 

Meeting the legendary Bikram Singh that I had heard so much about was fantastic. He did not disappoint! If ever you are in the Boston area, a trip to his shop is well worth the effort. Rare, interesting and many "off the beat and path" whiskies from all over the world, including SAMAROLI!!! Thank you Darren for this gem of a find!

Now, speaking of Samaroli, back to my day 23 dram:

Samaroli Peaty Blended Whisky 20 year old, 45% ABV. Refill sherry butt Cask #54.

Colour: Pink gold!

Nose: Another smoky whisky. The peat is a bit more predominant on this one for me. Reminds me of wet dark earth. Not overly sweet on the nose.

Palate: Thick, viscous and again peaty goodness. A bit of creamy lemon on the backdrop. It's a lovely "aged" peated whisky.

Finish: Long lingering and quite satisfying. This could easily be a dram that Graham would love after a cold dog walk in January. 

Another triumph for a Samaroli. I cannot tell you how impressive these are. I'll be talking to Jonathan to see if this is one of the bottle that will be available. 

Check out what he thought at: www.singlemalting.com

As for this Lassie, day 23 was simply phenomenal. I love the #whiskyfabric and can't wait to tell you what is in store for tomorrow.

Cheers lovely people!!

Lassie

   

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

Fèis ìle - Guest blogger Peter Moser from Friends of Single Malts (FoSM)

Why should you only hear what my opinions are about Fèis ìle after all it was my very first time and there are 1000's of people that go to this festival every year. Wouldn't it be to your benefit and mine to hear/see what other thought as well?  WELL OF COURSE of course it would silly!!!!  

So I devised a plan where I would contact people that I met while on Islay and ask them 10 simple questions. They are from all walks of life, background and nationalities. The first person to answer me was Peter Moser. We actually met on the very last day in the Ardbeg Warehouse tour where we enjoyed a very old dram together while we walked around exploring. 

Peter (@MrSingleMalt) writes for: www.fosm.de  which is not in English but has a decent translator so I mostly make sense of what he loves to write about, which in case you didn't know is whisky! So here are the 10 questions I asked Peter about Islay and what he thought...

"Islay was always a place I wanted to go and never did. Eight working distilleries on a tiny little island and a ninth just on the next island called Jura. It is not only the number of distilleries but as well the landscape and people that brought me back after my first visit in 2012. This year was my third visit and it will not be my last. All three times I was joining new and old friends for the Feis Ile – the Whisky Festival on Islay.

1. Do you think every whisky geek should attend Feis Ile at least once and if so why?

Definitely and then see if they can actually resist coming back. I have met a lot of people since I have visited Islay 11 to 14 times and some of them love the island so much they have moved there part or full time. Decide for yourself but be prepared, it's addictive!


2. In your opinion, what is the best option during during Feis Ile for accommodations?

There is not too much available as far as luxury accommodations but the rest has a varied range. So it really depends on your budget and the lead time to get what you really want. Staying with a group in a self catering cottage can be a lot of fun, but most of them are outside of the villages so someone has to drive. I found a B&B in Bowmore and have stayed there ever since. They treat me like family and when you are a first timer they tell you a lot about the island, the people and since they know many of the locals they can arrange things for you. If you have a tent or a caravan you might be lucky enough to stay directly on the grounds of some of the distilleries if you ask them nicely.


3. What distillery day do you think is the best?

This is a hard one. There is no 'THE' best but if I have to choose one it would be Ardbeg. I will also mention that you should not miss Bruichladdich either. Ardbeg has the best day program for all levels of people which includes more than just pre-booked events. They do a great job at providing entertainment for everybody. These are the only two distillery days where I stay on the grounds for the full day. 

4. What things did you appreciate and enjoy the most about visiting Islay and why?

It is a magical island and it's not as simple as stating one thing. Visiting Islay the second time was a bit like coming home. I cannot describe it any better and there are several people I have spoken to with the same feelings. It’s a lot about the landscapes. Light and shadow, sun and rain (even hail showers), distilleries, whisky, meeting friends, finding new friends and lovely local people.


5. What restaurants would you recommend for quality, service and/or price?

There are several with new ones popping up every year. One new one for me was the Lochindaal Hotel Restaurant in Port Charlotte. We had a group reservation (Highly recommend doing that) and we ate some fantastic fresh seafood platters. Just perfect.

6. Of all the people you were fortunate enough to meet on Islay, who stood out the most? 

I could easily choose several like Jim McEwan, Mickey Heads, Georgie Crawford, John McLellan or John Campbell. All great people to meet. Same to a lot of local characters but the one that has impressed me most is Jackie Thomson (Visitor Center Manager at Ardbeg). On my second year visiting Islay she recognized my face and asked me “I’ve seen you before. What’s your name?”. I told her and since then she has greeting me by name every time. She meets thousands of people every year! But to be honest it was quite impressive to meet somebody like her.

7. If someone only had the three first days to visit Islay during Feis Ile, what would you recommend and why?

Buy a bottle at Lagavulin Open Day (Saturday). They will have their 200 years anniversary next year and will bottle something very special. Say “Hello” to Georgie Crawford. Then drive further on to Ardbeg, eat in their nice Kiln Café and say “Hello” to Jackie. Go on in direction Kildalton Cross but stop before entering the woods. There will be Seals on the rocks. Take a break. Go on to Kildalton Cross and appreciate the history you will find there. Then further on to Ardtalla and down to the beach. On your way back visit Laphroaig. Have a nice dinner at one of lovely local restaurants. You can repeat this the other two days, but on Sunday there is Bruichladdich open day. Very good option to choose. If you are lucky you booked (be quick and book really early!) a masterclass ticket. It might be different next year but I’m sure they will give you a great time. The rest of the day will be full of drinks, eating, music and a lot of talks. You can take your own distillery tour and just go through Bruichladdich on this day. This is very unique. If you did not have enough distillery visits yet, you can visit all the others. You can have some nature walks instead – beaches or the Oa with the American Monument. Be prepared: there is enough you can do that will not fit in your three days.

8. What has been the best distillery tour you received on Islay and why? 

From the standard tours I would say Laphroaig as they do have their own malting floors and you can go into their kiln even if it is “on fire”. There are a lot of special tours at some distilleries and they are always changing over the years. One I really can recommend is “Deconstructing the dram” at Ardbeg. You end up in Warehouse 3 and “rebuild” there standards with cask samples. Great experience. My personal best one was a whole Shift at Ardbeg, but this was a once in a lifetime event.

9. Did you visit Kilchoman and would you recommend it? 

It is at the moment (till Gartbreck is finished) the only Farm Distillery on Islay. It is small and is doing its own floor maltings. Keep in mind you need some kind of transportation to get there as it is quite remote and there is no public transit. Also in that area is some lovely scenery at Machir and Saligo Bay. Be prepared for a bad narrow road and a busy place during the open day.

10. After your first visit to Feis Ile the most valuable piece of advice  you can give is what?

Plain and simple: Don’t go there if you are thinking it's a once in a lifetime trip! If you do not follow my advice chances are might get addicted and go back and back and back".

Thank you Peter for sharing your thoughts with us. It's pleasing to know that you and I share many of the same opinions and would give the same advice when it comes to Islay. I totally agree that once you've been it's highly addictive and the very first thought you have after you drive off the ferry is: "When can I come back"?

Stay tuned for my adventure to Jura... It was another fantastic highlight that I can't wait to share!
Until then... Islay time calls you.

Review - Ardbeg Global retail Perpetuum Release

What's all the hub bub... bub?! I'm sorry, what? What's that you say, Ardbeg turns 200 this year and has released yet another "wildly interesting and kitchy whisky"?! People all over the world getting to try samples and then writing about it, releasing their reviews almost all on the same day, you say? Interesting indeed....

I won't waste your time with the marketing release, you can check that out yourself ad nauseum, just google Ardbeg Perpetuum Review and read the 20+ blogs that repeat the exact same email information we all received...  No offence, but seriously there must be something better to write than simply cutting and pasting what the PR people sent?! 

Is that part of the reason so many people simply roll their eyes when Ardbeg or any other distillery releases the latest BESTEST NEWEST MOST FANTASTICUS whisky!? Meh... maybe... Ok, but Ardbeg proudly turns 200 this year, they must have gone all out and released something mega amazing!!!? Depends what blog review you read... I saw a rating of 97 (rolls eyes...) 97 out of 100 - doesn't that mean near perfection? How about a bit of honesty folks. Don't be scared you might not get any more free samples if you don't tow the line!? 

So here's what I'm going to tell you... I did indeed receive a sample of the retail version that will be appearing in Canada. I did indeed participate in the stupendous Ardbeg day while I was on Islay. I was very much confused when I got to sample the Distillery Release which is at 49.2% vs my global retail which is at 47.4% ?  I thought maybe I had missed a few emails or details as to why there was more than one whisky called Perpetuum? 

Now let's see if I have this straight?! Come to find out, the Distillery release was suppose to be exclusively sold there, but somehow 2500 were then available online to UK residents on Ardbeg Day - Can you say system crash!? Twitter was hot and angry with many people really losing their minds over the fact that they tried for hours to try and order a bottle and came away with nothing more than high blood pressure. Then some would be available on Ardbeg Day at the distillery but nobody seemed to know which one. At one point I thought there were three Perpetuum's being released?! How's that for doing something mega! Needless to say, the confusion around how many there really is, or will be is... well confusing?! Got it? Still following me...? Yeah... me neither, blink blink... So if you want more information about that, please feel free to email someone at Ardbeg and hopefully you'll get some straight answers...? Because frankly reading what I was able to find online was only even more confusing? No offence to the very nice lady in Toronto who tried to set me straight a few times, thanks... really & truly...

So back to being in Scotland: We arrived on Islay on May 22 and went straight to Ardbeg. Over lunch, I watched people getting in line hoping to get their Perpetuums (which one, I'm not sure? hehe). Over the course of the two hours we were there, the line was never ending. We went back on Ardbeg day on May 30th and some had been in line since 4:30am?! Are these people crazy or simply hard core Ardbeg fans? Well maybe a little bit of both. 

At least 6 times during the day (I was there from 9:30 - 5:30), at random, an employee would appear in the crowd and pour an Ardbeg whisky from a magnum! They had a carved ice bar, contests, prizes, food, music, fundraisers, tractors, motorcycles and lions! Ok, the lion part was made up, but everything else is absolutely true. The place was jammed pack with activities and people all day. The crowd did not dissipate until they told us it was time to leave. 

Ardbeg Day was HUGE, over the top, and for most people there - Exactly what they wanted! Ardbeggians came from all over the world for the whisky, the hype, the entertainment and because they know that Ardbeg has a reputation for loving their fans and not disappointing when it comes to HUGE celebrations. It was really hard not to be swept away by it all. I could have passed on the tractor though :/

Personally and in general hype doesn't really impress me and neither does marketing adverts. I let the whisky speak for itself because that's what we really want to know don't we? Is the whisky worth buying? 

I am super happy that I was fortunate enough to taste both Perpetuums and I'd like to think that if I had been given both blind I would have chosen the global retail as my preferred sample and here's why:

Nose: A bit of prickle at first and the peat was fairly muted which took me a bit by surprise. It's much more delicate then many of the last Ardbeg releases. I could smell overripe bananas, very little citrus and it had an overall sweeter smell than I anticipated. Ever burn sweet grass on an open fire - quite nice actually.
Palate: Oily yet creamy with a satisfying freshness to it. The way I feel about a good cup of freshly ground coffee with 1 tsp of muscovado sugar and a tablespoon of cream (18% milk fat). Sweet, rounded with hints of dark chocolate dryness. 

Finish: MOST IMPRESSIVE!!! When I exhaled after the first few sips it left me feeling like I had smoked a menthol cigarette. The flavor was endless and stayed with me for almost 30 minutes afterwards. 

I sipped at the whisky for the better part of an hour the first night I tried it and it didn't morph that much in the glass nor did I add any water. I didn't feel like it needed any. The dram was satisfying, intriguing and quite tasty, especially the finish. The second time I had some was with a friend and we compared notes a bit to see what she thought vs my feelings about it. (I've asked her to write a review, we will see if she does ;) 

Of the last 4-5 Ardbeg releases, and I bought Corryvreckan, Alligator, Gallileo and Ardbog, the Perpetuum is my favorite because it doesn't present like an agressive young peated whisky. It's more balanced, a little delicate and offers some very nice flavors with an explosive finish that lasts for quite some time. 

Now, what I and many others will struggle with is: The price tag. This is being released on the Canadian market, first in Ontario on June 13th for $187. It will then roll out across Canada gradually until the new year. I would love to be able to buy two bottles of this, one for drinking and one for keeping. Alas, the price tag is a bit high for me personally as far as my current whisky budget goes. 

Is it a delicious Ardbeg that proudly represents 200 years of whisky making? I think so... Is it hyped up a bit with a marketing story behind it, sure it is... Then again fewer and fewer whiskies do. 

If you are a true Ardbeggian and can afford the price tag, I would be very curious to see what you think of this whisky and where you rank it amongst the many releases. For me, it's a "want" vs need in my collection at this point so COME ON LOTTERY TICKET!!!

Thanks to Ardbeg for the sample as well as the distillery and their staff for an amazing day that closed Feis Ile 2015. (Blog to come about that later!)

Lassie out! 

Can you say light bulb!? Virtual tour of Islay whiskies...

This little exercise was something we did in late summer of 2012. Some friends of mine wanted to experience a few Islay whiskies. Graham and I put our heads together and created a virtual tour of the distilleries on Islay. We had a whisky from every distillery and presented them accordingly.  The ladies had a great afternoon, learned a lot about the Islay whiskies and better yet - Got a free Islay vacation :)

Here is the reprint.... Hope it gives a few people some ideas on how to present or host an evening in your home. Cheers!

I haven't been blogging for the last couple of weeks for good reason: I was busy getting everything done at work so that I can leave for a short sailing vacation, helping my youngest daughter get a job in NS, pack and move, having fun trading samples with fellow bloggers/enthusiasts and getting my fall schedule ready for tastings and whisky events I want to attend.

Bad influences - SMYC ladies!

So, a funny thing sort of happened after the four young ladies from Show me your Canada where here. I, for one, drank too much; which doesn't usually happen. I recall finishing a bottle of Compass Box Spice Tree and I think we also drank a lot of Tobermory but I could be wrong because things got a bit fuzzy as the sun went down on our evening boat cruise...  :s 

I do remember Graham driving us home and walking the dogs with my brother in law at 1:00am so that's good. What I seem to remember the most was the reality at 6:30am - getting up for work and being one hurting unit! So after sitting at my desk for almost 2 hours waiting for the Advil and coffee to kick in, I had had it. I went to the Feel Good Store here in Saint John (A GOD SEND) and Anne was there to save me. "I need something for this hangover, please!" I begged. She has a tea that she makes herself called Cold Blaster Tea, rich in vitamins and nutrients to help the immune system. I HIGHLY recommend you have this in your cupboard, not only for colds...  :)

Long story short, Anne had attended my ladies introductory class to whiskies and we talked while she was preparing my tea. She reminded me how much she had enjoyed the Bowmore Darkest 15 and I basically told her there was a whole island of whiskies that were delicious like that. She gasped and lit up like light bulb, which in turn I lit up like a light bulb with my next tasting adventure. 

I made it through the end of that day and by the time I got home that night was feeling much like myself again. I told Graham about my idea and he lit up like a light bulb. The next day I tweeted a few of the other girls I had met at the tasting who had said they liked the peaty ones the best and invited them to my home for a "tabletop" Islay tour. I invited another friend who I had recently introduced to whiskies and she lit up like a light bulb too (I was starting to notice a trend!) Date decided, total we were 6 girls in. I asked Graham if he minded being in the "chair" so that I could sit back and relax a bit.. NO prob! Graham asked me one question: What whiskies do you want them to try? I gave him a list and he did the rest. Now our collection is quite a good one I think and we have at least one bottle from almost every distillery on Islay, except Port Ellen which I can't afford so we knew we were going to have a great night and really introduce these lovely whisky maidens to Islay in proper style! The excitement built over the course of a few weeks and finally, Sunday came. Around 4:00pm, Graham flitted about getting all the whiskies, glasses, and everything else he needed including a HUGE table top map of Islay ready for the arrival of the ladies.

Once arrived and all seated, Graham took us along a lovely whisky trail visiting distillery after distillery on Islay. He went into a bit of detail and also had a few other surprises (including a very nice dram of the Octomore and Kilchoman Sherry Cask). The ladies loved it! We started the evening at 7:00 and it seems to me they left around 10:00pm. 

It was a great night with five wonderful women who love Islays as much as I do. I'm discovering more and more that I'm not the unicorn I thought I was, all alone in this part of the world with only the "boys" to drink with. Most of the time I am ok with but I have to say there's something special about being in a roomful of women who experience whiskies with all their senses. The stories, the whiskies, the friendships and the knowledge we all shared made our table top exercise a rather beautiful and at the same time serene experience for me, although we were noisy and boisterous sometimes laughing like fools, on the inside I was at peace and feeling like I found a space I belonged. To the whisky sisterhood I raise my glass! To the #whiskyfabric, thank you for bringing me the sisterhood, at last  :)  To Graham, thanks for the great tour!

On my bicycle (ring, ring) pedaling down the Islay trail, humming a happy little tune.

Lassie