December 20th 2016. It's the day before the longest night of the year. I can look at this two ways, after tomorrow the days start to get long again OR... it's the beginning of winter, which around these parts means below -30C, blizzards, lots of SNOW. Hmmm, I stick with the days start to get longer and put on an extra pair of long-johns!?
I literally punched the alarm clock this morning when the radio came on at 6:15. It seems to be getting harder to wake up at this time every morning. Come on longer days!? Down the stairs I creep. I giggle as I think to myself that by the end of this advent calendar I may have well beat down a small path through the carpet to the basement! The calendar waits silently for me as it has 19 days before this. "Old friend", I say, "it's going to be hard to say goodbye in a few days"... and I punch the little door as hard as I can with my index finger. POP! Almost sounds as nice as opening a brand new bottle of whisky.
The reveal, I really special Secret Spirits exclusive: Speyside 26 year old, and my favourite type of casks these days, bourbon refill. I immediately opened the little sample bottle and poured some in my NEAT glass. Immediate and irrevocable: Sticky Toffee Pudding with a butterscotch sauce. My eyes shoot open and I run upstairs as quickly as my feet will carry me. Graham totally missed the alarm and is still in bed. I give him gentle "nudge", well he would like describe it as a push ;) and I say, you have to smell this. In his stupor all he can muster is to stare at me, blinking profusely.
Coffee, discussion, ready for work. I spent all day thinking about the dram. Don't you love that whisky can do that?! Back home, made supper, stepped out for a meeting... tic toc, tic toc! Come on, I've got a dram waiting for me!!! Boots kicked off at the door, straight to armchair and pour my dram, finally. Ahhhhhhh.... and RE-LAX.
Secret Spirits Speyside 26 year old, 55.9% ABV, Cask #5575 Refill Bourbon
Colour: Old yellow gold
Nose: The sticky toffee pudding with a butterscotch sauce is still there. Simply lovely.
Palate: A bit high test (burning...) so a few drops of water and boom: The spices that go into a beef pho: Cardamom, anise seed, ginger, cloves... It's a really deep and rich spiciness. Very satisfying.
Finish: Still quite sweet, especially after the water. It's got a bit of kick too, fresh grated ginger. Slightly lemony!
I really do like this dram. Another well balanced, tasty from start to finish dram. Even after I finished the dram, I just sat in my chair nosing my empty glass. I saved some of it for Graham, because it's important to share ;)
If you want to see what our jet setting friend (he's off to Australia right now) thinks....
With 6 days left, I'm almost worried what is to come!? That... or I need to start saving some money so that I can get a few more bottles!
See you tomorrow... same channel, different whisky!
Lassie
What a little stinker I am sometimes and I've often been called cheeky too! What can I say, it's simply in my nature sometimes to engage mouth while brain is not in gear... This was not the case this morning while having a conversation on Facebook messenger at 7:15am. I had made my cup of coffee and I was surfing social media, just checking out stuff when a message popped up in messenger from a "follower" asking me if I had opened door 17 year. I replied with "two shakes, I'll go do that now" and proceeded to run down the stairs. Another fab discovery: Wemyss Malts, 26 year old Invergordon. When I got back to my computer I announced with an exclamation mark what I had found. Things... took a turn for the worse almost from the get go. Whomever this person was proceeded to argue with me that Wemyss wasn't a distillery to which I explained how they were a great independent bottler.
Poor soul tried to teach me about whisky a little and I listened but continued to point him to authors, websites and other factual information that would help him learn a little better. You would think he would get exasperated, but nope, he must have been in the mood to simply argue with someone, why me though is beyond my comprehension? "I have an advent calendar too you know", he typed. "Oh", I replied, "That's awesome". There was a 5 minute pause so I assumed he had grown tired of the conversation. I say nothing else and another message pops up: "Yours is really crappy". So I tell him, like whisky, that is a subjective opinion and thank him for the morning conversation. END of discussion... and on to other more important things. Way to go Lassie!!!
Whisky, for some, seems to be about upmanship and bragging rights but for me it's a journey that I've chosen to share with as many like minded people as possible. The conversation only reinforces how lucky I am to have an open mind, appreciate all the mentors and friends I've had a long my way and to truly appreciate the whiskies that I get to enjoy. Here's to your own whisky journey, wherever it may be for you.
Wemyss Malts Applewood Bake, Invergordon 26 year old. 46% ABV, Cask Type - Butt, cask #86239
Colour: The last of the summer hay
Nose: Upside down apple french toast with powdered vanilla sugar. Scrumptious indeed
Palate: Some sort of baked apple concoction that has custard (I can see it in my head!!) Sweet, tart and rich!
Finish: A bit of a eucalyptus or minty finish. It's fresh but doesn't linger for long.
I have to say from the time I was introduced to Wemyss in 2013 I have enjoyed many, MANY of their releases. They have a fantastic nosing/tasting panel that really get the whiskies and give them fantastic names. Every trip to Scotland has involved buying 2 if not 3 bottles from this independent bottler. Simply fab and Jonathan, I can't tell you how thankful I am to get to try some of these in the advent calendar.
And speaking of Jonathan... what did he think of today's dram: www.singlemalting.com
I said yesterday that this could end up being an expensive Christmas... I think I just found the second full bottle I would really love "Jonathan Santa"... I WANT THIS ONE PLEASE!
To the rest of you, I hope you are enjoying whatever dram you love and that you are sharing them with the people you love. Cheers from a snowy Saint John NB... Happy day 17!
Lassie
I really do like this dram. Another well balanced, tasty from start to finish dram. Even after I finished the dram, I just sat in my chair nosing my empty glass. I saved some of it for Graham, because it's important to share ;)
