That's the last of 2016, I swear - Runner ups!

When January 1st rolls around, I don't purposely set out to break records. What I mean by that is, I don't set a goal and other than taking photos and keeping a spreadsheet I don't go out of my way to try and supersede previous years numbers. For 2016 I tried 397 NEW whiskies. To the average person this may sound like a crazy number but when you start to talk to other enthusiasts, I'm not even considered hard core... yet!

I like picking out whiskies that really stood out as my top 10 or 12 of the year. I make notes, put little stars beside the ones I think were most memorable and for what reason. I've had a few people say: "Wow, I'm surprised you picked (that) whisky". So again, I'll explain that sometimes it's about the memory the whisky created, or the moment itself. For instance: Benromach 35 and how it transported me back to a time when my grandfather was still alive. How magical is it to sit there, close your eyes and be inundated with memories of someone who was very special. (Just the thought of that day as I sat there nosing that whisky and remembering pepere Mossey brings tears to my eyes as I type this). That is powerful indeed.

With 397 whiskies to choose from there are bound to be some that I initially say: Oh yeah - top 12 indeed but then as the year rolls on they get bumped by others. When I created my list this year, I noticed two things:

1. There wasn't one single American whiskey that even made the top 30!? As I surfed my photos it made me wonder. Is it because, here in Canada we don't really get to try many new/interesting USA whiskies or is it because I simply gravitate toward other whiskies in general. Hmmm...  Goal for 2017: Try more American brands.

2. As I went through the spreadsheet it became very apparent that the whiskies I did seem to gravitate toward in 2016 were independent bottlings. Again, it made me ponder: Was I naturally inclined toward those or did I somehow have more access than usual to these types of whiskies?

If you look at my list of honorable mentions you'll see for yourself. Here are whiskies number 30-13.

30. SMWS 59.49 - Celebration in a glass (Thanks Ross)

29. SMWS 1.196 - Sunshine, motherhood and apple pie (Thanks Blair & Clare)

28. Canadian Club 20 year old (Celebrate Whisky festival Halifax)

27. Douglas Laing Rock Oyster (Celebrate Whisky Festival Halifax)

26. Deerstalker Braeval 20 year old (Celebrate Whisky Festival Halifax)

25. SMWS 9.84 Playing "Sea battle" in the garden (Club whisky tasting) 

24. Cadenhead Mortlach 26 year old (Thanks Dave W)

23. Cadenhead Caperdonich 39 year old (Thanks Mark W)

22. Balvenie 25 year old Triple cask (Thanks Ian M)

21. Gordon & MacPhail Macallan 1958, 11 year old (Thanks Richard U)

20. Balvenie 1966 (HUGE thanks to Jill B - my birth year!)

19. The Cask of Yamazaki 1990 Sherry Butt (Thanks Martine N)

18. Highland Park 1968 (Thanks Nicolas V and Dan V!!)

17. Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt, Release 2 (Thanks Lydia!)

16. Wemyss Malts 1988 Kirsch Gateau (Thanks Jacqueline)

15. Sansibar Tomatin 18 year old (Thanks Igor K)

14. Springbank 12 Rum Wood (Thanks Frank S)

13. Adelphi 1988 Cambus 27 year old (Thanks Jonathan B)

It's always an amazing journey and you'll likely also notice that the majority of whiskies on this list were shared by friends in one form or another. 

You can make fun of me all you like but #whiskyfabric truly is a weave of personalities, friendships and connections that I am truly grateful for. We share moments, we create memories and best of all: We love whisky!

Now, if you'll excuse me I'm off to make some room on my sample shelf: Thanks Benoit B for the latest rounds of drams I can't wait to try!

Here's to 2017... may the list of new whisky discoveries, friendships and adventures be long and good for all of you!

Cheers,

Lassie

Lassie's top 12 countdown of 2016 - Number 7!! Old young whiskies are where it's at!

I didn't travel as much in 2016 as I normally do. Family "stuff" kept me close to home. However, I was fortunate to take part in 4 or 5 tastings where old young whisky was being served. Two examples were at our very own festival here in New Brunswick -> The New Brunswick Spirits Festival where the Saturday master classes are for the true whisky geek. These classes would make most of you green with envy. This year we were extremely lucky to have Davin de Kergommeaux lead us through a vertical of Imperial whiskies. You read correctly.  A vertical selection of whiskies from a silent distillery. The line up:

1. G&M Connoisseurs Choice, D1970 - B1987
2. Signatory Un-chillfiltered collection, D1995 - B2015 Cask 50229 & 50330
3. G&M Connoisseurs Choice, D1993-B2011
4. G&M Exclusive, D1998 - B2014 Cask 1224
5. Imperial 15 (Distillery Bottling)
6. Benn a Cheo, D1995 - B2013 Cask 50229

What an amazing tasting to attend!  BUT WAIT!!! Then the second tasting started and, if you can imagine was even more amazing:

Entitled the Chairman's dram, this class sold out almost immediately and had people travel over 2,000km just to attend. Why you ask?

1. G&M Rosebank, D1979 - B1993
2. G&M Millburn, D1971 - B1988
3. Springbank 12 Rum wood, D1989 - B2002
4. G&M Port Ellen D1974
5. Littlemill 8 year old late 1970's
6. Port Charlotte 15 year old, Nouet Private Cask

Now... I dare any of you to tell me this was not a whisky enthusiast dream dram day!  

Of the 12 drams I tried that day, many were the type of dram where the entire room was so quiet you could have heard someone's stomach rumble if they were hungry! But... the stand out for me, above all the rest, was the Signatory Imperial 10 year old (Bet you thought this Lassie was going to say the Port Ellen!)

It was the best Imperial I've ever tasted and as far as I'm concerned should be one of the bench marks of what an ex-bourbon matured whisky should nose/taste like. It truly was perfection for me. 

And yes... I took notes:

Colour: Old gold

Nose: Fresh coconut milk, papaya and mango salad. Really fragrant!

Palate: Honeyed vanilla whipped cream on a fresh Caribbean salad. 

Finish: Long, sweet and very warming. Creamy even.

What a dram! What a Saturday... Hell, what a festival!!! The door is always open for anyone who would like to come and experience our festival, seriously one of the best in North America and worth every single dollar!!!

Here's to the unicorns and the once in a lifetime opportunities.  I hope 2017 has more of these on the horizons.

Cheers and down to number 6 and 5 tomorrow!

Lassie

Lassie's top 12 countdown of 2016 - The anchor, #12 LET'S START BIG!

Years ago I started keeping track of how many different whiskies I tried over the course of a year. From January 1 - December 31st, I take a photo of every single new whisky discovery. In 2015, I broke my all time record and had tried over 400 new drams. I will wait to reveal how many the Lassie had this year ;)

In the meantime, let's revisit the top 12 drams for me this year. Each of course has a story, a reason, a season or a rhyme. Or... something like that!? The point of the matter is, each one has a special place in my heart for a variety of reasons. You ready?  HERE.....  WE......  GOOOOOOOOOO! It's only befitting that we go all the way back to January 1 2016 for dram #12. Our friends Krista & Ross Galbraith invited us to their annual New Years Day event - Outing at Tin Can Beach. Now for those of you are not from anywhere near Saint John New Brunswick, Tin Can Beach is a little gem in the south end of the city that overlooks the mouth of our harbour and the bay of Fundy. 

Tin can beach crew of 2016

There we were: Krista & Ross, Susan & Michael, Robin & Michael, Lori & Steve, me and Graham. It's a cold but sunny day and we've all brought whiskies to share. I made sure to pack one small but very important dram because someone gave it to me with the caveat that it would be opened and shared before my 50th birthday. I kept my promise and shared with this lovely group of friends, of which a few had already joined the 50's club, and some who still had not.  :)

The great part of that day was simply welcoming 2016 as best we knew how: Among friends, in the great outdoor, admiring the beauty of our own city and toasting what was yet to come. Thank you to Davin de Kergommeaux for the dram in question:


Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 50 year old, distilled in 1948, bottled in 1998. 40% ABV. 

The dram was poured in two Glencairns and they were passed around so that everyone could get a taste. Did I take notes -> Nope. Do I remember what it tasted like -> Mostly. I know I enjoyed it. The reality is that I enjoyed the moment and the fact that we all got to try it. After we were done dramming and spending time on the beach that lovely first day of 2016, we were all invited back to Krista & Ross' for a great spread of food. 

I realized a few things that day. One: Surround yourself with good people. Two: Share your whiskies with those who will appreciate it as much as you do. and Three: The importance of traditions. It was a memorable day and the perfect way to start 2016.

Thank you to Davin, the Galbraith's and everyone else who made that day possible. 

Cheers,

Lassie

Lassie's top 10 memorable drams for 2015 - #5 Now that's a cracker!

In June of 2015 I had the utmost pleasure of touring the Benromach Distillery with Richard Urqhart. It has a long history like many of the others in Scotland but it had a really rocky start. Construction did indeed start in 1898 but spirits didn't start to flow until 1900 and within that same year closed down due to insufficient funds = Whisky bust #1. Like other scottish distilleries it passed through many sets of hands from then until 1983 when it suffered yet another closure from the second economic slump = Whisky bust #2 (I easily found 17 distilleries listed as closed between 1981-1985).  

Gordon & MacPhail bought the distillery in 1993, carefully restored it and new spirit started to flow again in 1998. What I love the most about the story is that G&M have been in business for themselves for over 120 years but had never actually owned or operated a distillery. I would bet my best bottle of whisky this was a huge learning curve for them and came with many interesting stories and lessons. However, if we take into consideration the reputation, pride and quality of their independent bottlings I don't think it comes as a surprise that Benromach whiskies were bound to be great in their own right. 

I was honoured to walk through the refurbished distillery, meet the people who make the whisky and discover just how proud they are about their whiskies. It's truly a small, hands on, up close and personal experience with every mash, distillation and casking. I've said it before, many of the distilleries I've toured are now automated with computers making the decisions about temperatures, pH, cuts and they have very little human interaction other than someone ensuring they are there to push a button or check a computer monitor. I've quickly noticed that many of my favourite whiskies these past few years have been the ones that still have a human connection. www.benromach.com has a fantastic little video if you would like to learn a little more about them: http://www.benromach.com/story

The example I love to give that brings this home for me is making my grandmother's meat pies at Christmas. There is no written recipe and it was taught by feel, taste and sight. I know it's two parts beef for every part pork and that I have to add two onions the size of my fists for every three pounds of meat. I can also tell you exactly when I have to add the cubed potatoes and what color or texture I'm looking for when I start to get the mixture ready to put in the pie crust. The flavour is memorized and of course the pies vary from year to year. There is no set times to cook it, no set list of spices. It's truly a handmade and unique experience every single time I make them and I as well as anyone in my family can tell you they are fabulous & 10X better than what we could buy at the local grocery store.

That's how I feel about a few distilleries I've talked about before: AnCnoc, Springbank, Tomatin and now Benromach joins their ranks. There is much to be said about people who care and are invested in something they are proud of. Methods are passed down from one person to the next and it's done in a way that promotes the importance of quality NOT quantity. I feel it is highly reflected in the products these distilleries make. 

Dram #5 and one of my favourite new drams for 2015:

Benromach 15, 43% ABV.  Matured in ex-bourbon & sherry casks.

SOPHIA... the most georgeous Italian ;)

I once described this as a tall dark and gorgeous Italian... and with good reason ;)

Nose: Pulls you in the glass, enticing with rich red fruits and spices. Plums smothered in vanilla custard and whipped cream. (Made my mouth water)

Palate: Did not disappoint! The sweetness and rich red fruits are still there followed by some dark decadent chocolate and hints of blood orange. Silky and full bodied, truly delectable. 

Finish: Oddly reminded me of a menthol cigarillo. Herbal, maybe eucalyptus and a bit smoky but not much. Lingers and I would dare say quite refreshing.  

I've had this whisky several times since then and have recommended it to many people. Unfortunately it was very limited in Canada with only one province getting a small amount. They brought it to our local whisky festival and it flew off the shelves in less than 2 hours. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of the lucky ones. So, it will be on my list of to "buy and bring home" from Scotland in the new year. 

There is something quite special about the Benromach's coming to market and I can't wait to see what they come out with next. So far, they have done nothing but make some pretty brilliant whiskies:  The 10, the 100 proof, the 15, the organic and the 1976 have all been real crowd pleasers, well I suppose I can only speak about myself so Lassie cracker drams they are! 

Cheers and tomorrow we go full ISLAY! Bring on #4!!!!!

Lassie...   

Lassie's top 10 memorable drams for 2015, #10 the Unicorn!

This time of year many people start to ask me what my favourite drams for the year were. I do indeed keep a log, if not by bottle photo than those I take notes for, in my little black moleskin note book. Thank goodness I do because at the end of the year, I also have a tendency to count how many new whiskies I've tried. This year, as of today's date: 406. Revisited drams 197. That... is a lot of dramming! Before you think I may have a drinking problem, take into consideration that I flew off to Victoria in January to attend their whisky festival and spent 5 glorious days in jeans/t-shirt weather, then spent 3 weeks in Scotland in May which included multiple visits to the Bon Accord Pub in Glasgow, two whisky festivals on the west coast, 18 distillery visits, 2 independent bottling company tours, including their warehouses, and sharing drams with many... many friends. On to the month of June where I was in New Orleans for a week attending workshops and huge amazing parties then on to Toronto in September - 4 more distilleries. November = Fredericton at one more whisky festival where over the course of 4 days I tried 58 new drams and then finished off the whisky year with our final society tasting of silent distilleries...  So you can see how easily and quickly the tally reached 406!

How do you pick 10... Just 10... Near impossible you would think. My criteria is rather simple I think: 

1. Sometimes there are drams that knock you into outer space and all you can do is sit there gobsmacked because the experience is simply lovely. 

2. Other are memorable because you were not expecting "it". 

3. Whereas other drams simply strike you as delicious and your tasting note simply says: "Fuck yeah! ☺

So let's start with Number 10 shall we!?

My poor mother is from a different era, so a few years ago when I told her Graham and I were going to Scotland and staying with people we had met on the internet she almost fell out of her chair in concern. "You are staying with strangers you met over the internet??!", she said clutching her sweater around her neck a little tighter. No matter how much I tried to explain #whiskyfabric, or Skype technology or anything else for the next couple of months, my mother feared for our lives... Sigh...

It's not uncommon for me to meet up with all sorts of people from the #whiskyfabric. Hell some of the best memories this past year are as a result of just that. "Hey twitterverse!! I'm going to be in Toronto for 5 days, who's game for a meet up - Show of hands...?"  12 people greet us at a local pub! How cool is that!? I know if you've experienced this phenomena, you know exactly what I mean because you are sitting there smiling as you read this thinking back to your own crazy meet ups, sharing of drams and photos!

So dram 10 is as a result of that type of experience. Sometime in 2014, Darren McInnis (co-founder of North Shore Whisky Club) and I started chatting on Twitter. Not sure if it was because his last name is the same as mine, he's also a Patriots fan or if it was related to whisky. 

Either way we became fast twitter friends often having some pretty funny or interesting conversations. He advised me once that he would be driving through my hometown on a family summer vacation and would love to meet up for a dram. As the date arrived, he texted and Graham and I went to pick him up. After all, what's the harm in a couple picking you up at your hotel to bring you back to their house because your drams are way better than any hotel bar?! (Yes, I can see how my mother could be mortified by these interactions!?? hehe)

So after a trip down to the piano, Darren, Graham and I settled in for a few minutes of talking and simply enjoying some drammage! There were so many he wanted to try but eas trying to ensure he wasn't blotto by the time we drove him back to the hotel so of course we went and got sample bottles and let him pick and choose a dozen drams to bring with him for his trip. What good is the #whiskyfabric if you can't share in good dramming and stories with new friends! And of course Darren (God love him) didn't arrive empty handed either...  He kindly shared the following. 

St. Magdalene G&M Reserve, Distilled 1975 - Bottled in 2005 exclusively for Brookline Liquor Mart in Boston, Massachusetts. 1 of 270 bottles, 46%ABV.

This was a first for me as far as the St. Magdalene distillery goes. It closed in 1983 so of course it's now one of those silent distillery bottlings that will get more and more rare and expensive with time. (Just looked up one similar to this and at auction it sold for £450)

Nose: Green fields of wild flowers, apple blossoms, almost a bit of mint or eucalyptus in the backdrop. Fresh, light and very delicate dram...

Palate: There is a barley/cereal flavour that reminds me of fresh and warm oatmeal cookies quickly followed by a lush and mouthwatering orange marmalade that leads to a slightly drying finish with the background being the pith of the orange.

Finish: Sweet but didn't linger for very long.

Darren and I enjoying a few drams...

So dram #10 fits in the category of "wow wasn't expecting that at all". I would have never anticipated Darren pulling that out in a million years. Besides, who travels with a St. Magdalene in his suitcase? Apparently, Darren does and I'm super happy he brought it with him for Graham and me to try. I want to thank Mr. McInnis not only for the lovely dram and time spent at the house that day but for also being another great friend in the #whiskyfabric I have come to love. The epitome of which I often praise is to simply share great whiskies and create lasting memories. Graham and I look forward to seeing them in Boston sometime in 2016.

My door is always open to anyone who wants to come and visit us and it's not mandatory to bring any drams, but surprises like this one are certainly appreciated and most of all, treasured. Darren and George can be found on twitter:  @noshwhiskyclub and their blog is:

Their blog  

Tomorrow brings another fantastic dram and story. Number 9... it's utterly, very Canadian indeed!

Lassie