Lassie's top 10 memorable drams for 2015 - #2 Trailblazers take heed!

In 2013 I had the utmost pleasure to tour meet, and taste the whiskies Barry Stein and Barry Bernstein were making near Toronto, Ontario Canada. They had been operational as Still Waters Distillery since 2009. Prior to the existence of the John Hall era there were less than 10 distilleries across our expansive country. Barry & Barry were not only the first micro-distillers but also only the second distillery to create and sell a Canadian Single Malt. They have been at the forefront of the craft distillation movement in Canada from the very start. It's not been easy. It's been a long exhaustive road where some days there was nothing more than sheer willpower and the ability to put one foot in front of the other it seemed. These guys have.... CHUTZPAH! But it takes more than just tenacity to keep the lights on, it also requires skill and a great product. Again, luckily these guys have a winning combination.

In September of 2014 I was back at their distillery and super excited to try their newest whisky: Rye, 100% (they don't like it when I call it that ;) I wrote about it here:

http://whiskylassie.blogspot.ca/2014/10/toronto-roadtrip-66-gilead-still-waters.html

At the Canadian Whisky Awards in Victoria BC in January of 2015 I was beyond exuberant when I had the utmost pleasure of receiving on their behalf their gold medal for Connoisseur whisky of the year - best new whisky, their rye. It was the first time in the history of the awards that a craft distillery won. And, honestly, there is some personal satisfaction in believing in a whisky from its inception and knowing in your heart/soul that a product is THAT GOOD!

So, once again on my annual trek to Toronto in September 2015 I had the pleasure of taking part in an intimate evening at Still Waters with the Barry's and a few Toronto #whiskyfabric friends. We were fortunate enough to try some really great new products coming to market such as their discovery pack. Somewhat innovative since nobody else is doing this type of whisky release in Canada at the moment. 

But for me, the one that came out on top and also came home with me that day was my number 2 dram for 2015. This doesn't exist anywhere in Canadian whiskies, as of yet... and it's 100% rye, at cask strength. I absolutely love it! 

THIS is what rye should taste like and I revel in every chance to introduce this to people who enjoy rye. There have been, many a convert!

Still Waters Stalk & Barrel Rye Whisky, Cask 56, 60.2% ABV

Nose: Full on fresh grain harvested and stored in a hay barn. Lots of delicate floral notes and with a bit of time in the glass the spicy aromas of the rye finally make an appearance. It's quite a complex nose!

Palate: At 60% it knocks you over with peppery spiciness, freshly grated ginger root and a handful of cloves! With a healthy dollop of water, this tones down the heat to reveal some lovely toffee and creamy caramel. Super oily mouthfeel.

Finish: This lingers forever... well ok for about 5-10 minutes. Just a warm, glowing finish with more baking spices and sweetness.

For me, it's simply a superb dram from start to finish. Well balanced and delivers some of the best rye notes I've ever nosed/tasted. 

Stalk & Barrel is available in several Canadian provinces as well as the United States. Check out their website for details, locations and prices. Sadly not yet available overseas unless you have a Lassie friend to ask to bring it over ;)

We all have dreams but some people like Barry & Barry are fearless and make those a reality. To those of us on the outside they can certainly make it look easy but the reality is trailblazers often sacrifice 95% of their lives and sanity to make it happen. Since the Barry's have arrived on the scene there have been many new craft distilleries come online. I would dare say the Barry's helped paved the road for the next generation of small batch whisky makers such as Last Straw and Yongehurst. They too will suffer ups and downs, struggle to make it work but in the end I hope they end up thriving, surviving and someday winning awards with their whiskies as well.

Still Waters has something special going on: Quality, talent and perseverance. It's what it takes to make it as a small independent distillery and I have no doubt that what's next will be some pretty cool or amazing stuff. See you guys in 2016!!!

Courtesy of Thestar.com

Respectfully,

Lassie

Dram #2, Stalk & Barrel Cask 5 - Carpe Diem!

 It is really exciting to look back at 2013 and revisit the entire year. The point of my 12 memorable drams was to share some of the adventures and moments that changed me or the direction I am headed. I always say the road is a bendy, windy, crazy adventure. I'm glad I have fantastic friends, a helmet and some knee pads, hehehe. The up moments have been glorious, the downs also epic. Can you say crash & burn!  Oh yeah... 2013 had some very memorable life experiences indeed. My grandmother often said: "It takes sitting in manure to make beautiful flowers grow". Well this year I felt, at times, like I was in shit up to my ears...

After a brief hiatus from the world this summer I came back to whisky, blogging and me with a slightly deflated attitude. I was struggling to find that spark and passion that I used to have. Well at least that's what it felt like at the time. I kept telling myself to just put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Glad I did because on my 2nd trip to Toronto, I took some time to visit Still Waters Distillery (yet again) and had a fantastic time (yet again). Wrote about it here:
http://www.whiskylassie.blogspot.ca/2013/10/get-your-stalk-barrel-here-cask-5-8-and.html

But it's what happened as a result of trying cask 5 that sparked the whisky "burn" back into my life. When I asked Barry how I could get some of the best whisky (IMO) they were casking to date, he replied: "You can't, the whole cask is being shipped to the USA". I recall my shoulders slumping for a moment... "USA? All of it? Really? None for Canadians?" 

They explained that an importer had come to the distillery and chosen Cask 5 (obviously had a good nose/taste in whisky) so I asked the who, what, where questions because I really wanted a bottle for myself. Then it happened: The creative juices began to run hot in my veins like a fantastic whisky toddy (just had to add the pun...) and the next thing I knew I made contact with Raj Sabharwal @whiskyraj and pitched my idea, right on the spot. Within a week it was planned, organized and done! What, you might ask? The first USA twitter tasting of course. :)

The fantastic part: Four whiskies from around the world. Canadian, Tasmanian, Indian and English. We had a blast! The whiskies were great and I made 10 new whiskyfabric friends not to mention a fantastic networking contact in Raj, (Purple Valley Imports) whom I had the pleasure of meeting in New York City.

More importantly... I rediscovered that when I find a good whisky that I want, I have no fear in putting my best foot and ideas forward. The fire was there all along, I apparently just needed someone to poke it with a stick and add a bit of fuel so I want to thank Barry & Barry for being such a great repeated highlight to my year. It's meant the world to me to be so privileged and share your story and whiskies with people from around the world. 


To cask 5 and being me again.  Whisky Lassie back, better then ever and ready to take on whatever 2014 holds... 

PS - I did get a bottle of Cask 5 :) which I've shared several times...



LASSIE

Stalk & Barrel Canadian Single Malt Whisky - Still Waters Distillery

"And what is good, Phaedrus, 
And what is not good 
Need we ask anyone to tell us these things?"  Robert Pirsig

Two friends had a goal: The desire to produce Canadian Single Malt Whisky and so... they did. In 2009 the spirit flowed and started going into barrels. Just short of four years later on April 27th, 2013 the first bottles of Stalk & Barrel Single Malt were on the market thus becoming only the 2nd distillery in Canada to do so. So here's the funny thing:  Their address is 150 Bradwick Drive, Unit #26 in Concord, Ontario north of Toronto. 

It's not an estate with acres of land fed by natural mountain spring water nor is it a state of the art multi-million dollar venture like Shelter Point BC (no offence).  Not even close! They call themselves Ontario's first "micro-distillery" and with good reason. Still Waters is located in a small industrial strip mall within a space that has less square footage then my home, 1200 to be exact. Yet when you step inside it has everything they need to make whisky - raw materials, a pot still, barrels, storage area, bottles, etc and 2 very loyal people: Barry Stein and Barry Bernstein. Founders, owners, mashers, distillers and bottle washers of Still Waters Distillery since January 2009. If you want to learn more about their journey, dedication and products please visit their website:
https://www.stillwatersdistillery.com/  Go check it out, I'll wait... 

Ok good you're back, on with the story then.  
Some distilleries tell you their products are made by hand. Having been at Still Waters very recently and seeing it with my own two eyes this is not something Barry & Barry exaggerate about. They have a hand in every aspect of their operations from grain to glass and produce 2 barrels/week. After a quick walk about we were treated to sampling their spirits. First I tried the new makes (single malt then 100% rye), some tasted the vodka (me not so much) and then I moved on to Cask #1, #2, #3 and their blend "1+11".  

NEW MAKE SMELLS LIKE....

From the moment I plunged my nose into the single malt new make I knew something was quite different about this whisky. For those of us who regularly imbibe, go to shows or visit distilleries you can pretty much identify/recognize new make. It has a very particular aroma and for me that is rum raisin ice cream. NOT THIS ONE. It truly threw me for a loop because it's quite different. It has some really unique aromas that reminded me of gin. I'm not saying it smelled like gin but rather the new make had a very botanical, clean and green smell. I called it "herbaceous". I found it quite pleasant on the nose but it left me quite perplexed as I have never encountered a whisky new make that smelled like that. After talking to Barry Bernstein about it, he stated that he thinks it's because their "heart" cuts were quite tight and that was their goal - to have as clean and precise of a cut as possible.  I like that my nose detected that as it makes me appreciate my ability even more. 

Barry S. & Barry B.

I also wanted to know why they decided to bottle at cask strength for Cask 1 & 2?  Simple:  A bit of consumer research and feedback showed that's what "we" wanted.  I've looked around on the internet and to the best of my ability did not find any other distillery in Canada currently doing that.  I've also seen and taken part in plenty of discussions on facebook group pages as well as twitter about people wanting a cask strength Canadian whisky.  
The next question I had was how the decision was made to come to market so early as their whisky is still in its infancy.  Why not wait a few more years?  The reply was twofold:  They both felt, albeit young, that the whisky was ready and of course because they are such a small endeavor there is a bit of a financial reason as well.  There are "people" looking to see where all this money goes? Let's face it, it takes money to stay open. Yes, they have other products that certainly help create the funds to keep them afloat while the whisky ages but in the end they are whisky makers so with confidence in their cask strength the decision to go to market was made.  

Back to the whiskies:  Of all the ones I tried, I preferred Cask 2 & 3 so they ended up coming home to NB with me.  I paid $70 for #3, bottled at 46%.  I paid $100 for #2.  Did your mouth fall open?  I'll repeat: I paid $100 for single cask, cask strength whisky that is less then 4 years old.  Do you think I'm nuts? Some people I've talked to have said I am and some went as far to say: "I wouldn't pay that much for a new whisky no matter where it was from.  I would wait until some of their stock is older".  This started a huge debate in my own head:  If everyone had that attitude and nobody bought their whisky now what is the likelihood Barry & Barry will survive financially?  Is $100 too much for such a young whisky?  And so began the writing process...   

I did a bit of research and found that most distilleries overseas will sell young whisky - cask strength/single cask releases for $75-$135 and some independent bottlers like SMWS only sell whisky that way.  Their 5 year old "Jar Jar Binks in trouble again" sells for $90.00.  While I'm at it, let's go down this road: What about the latest rage of paying crazy prices for NAS whiskies?  Ardbeg Galileo is $120 in Canada.   

I don't think I'm crazy and here's why. Still Waters Distillery is not a sterile billionaire conglomerate company hyping up a mediocre, 

Best marketing nomination?

dare I say "Walmart" whisky nor do they have a marketing department whipping up whisky drinkers into a frenzy believing that this is the ultimate most fantastic whisky you will ever collect/buy. No, what we have here are two guys investing in good quality materials from start to finish who stand shoulder to shoulder while buying the right barley, casking their spirits, filling bottles then sweeping the floor before they lock up for the night. I know, roll your eyes all you want with the sappy story.  Every distillery has one?  Well, Barry & Barry are making history. That's not that easy in Canada's distillery business and even less so with today's economy. Do you know how many times Glenora (the other little guys who make single malt in Canada) have declared bankruptcy and changed hands?  Plenty!  Glen Breton 10 year old "artisan whisky" is $76.00. Are there any other Canadian Whisky Distilleries bottling at cask strength or even making single malt?  No.

So, why wouldn't I pay $100 for a Single Cask/Cask Strength Canadian Single Malt? There's only one reason I can think of- If I thought it was a wolf in sheep's clothing.  However, this is not the casewith Still Waters Distillery whiskies.  They submitted their blend 1+11 for the Canadian Whisky Awards Competition in 2012 and I rated it quite highly (blind). In my opinion: The care taken in every step of making their products is quite apparent in the flavor and quality of their spirits.  So yes I will pay $100 for their single malt - single cask - cask strength whisky.  I'll also pay $70 for their 46% casking and $35 for their 1+11 blend.  Why?  Because it's good quality whisky, that's why. 

Stalk & Barrel Single Malt Whisky, Cask 2, Bottle#15 Single Cask/Cask Strength - Distilled 2009/Bottled 2013.  61.3% ABV (un-chillfiltered, no added color)


Color: Golden honey.  Legs plentiful, thin but very viscous.

Nose: Loads of honey at the front with a backdrop of fresh cut hay.  Floral in nature but more like spring blossoms on a tree (quite a green quality to it). The sweetness almost makes my mouth water.  Very reminiscent of Mackmyra 1st edition. With water (and it can take quite a bit), there's a lovely sultana raisin quality that is brought out - juicy almost grape like.  The honey turns to a vanilla custard.  Very nice nose indeed.

Palate:  At cask strength, it "spanks" your mouth.  Very prominent flavor or cedar or fresh planked wood.   Spicy "hot" like biting/chewing a fresh piece of ginger root.  A bit bitter, almost white grapefruit pith at the back corners of my mouth.  With water - tones down the heat of the ginger and becomes more like granny smith apple peels, a bit "malty bitter".  Again, the fresh and clean quality of chlorophyll is very apparent with the addition of water.  

Finish:  HOT!  Takes your breath away at 61.3%.  Left with a warm, lingering and yet drying effect.  Very spicy but there's flavors of sweetness there too.

I think I actually preferred it without water even if at that strength.  I'm actually surprised at how balanced it is for such a young whisky.  

That is the most important point I want to stress:  It's a very young whisky.  Not even the makers try to dispute that.  BUT... as I stated it's a quality whisky that is not only beautiful on the nose but very flavorful on the palate.  Yes, it has a really hot finish and it's probably a bit raw around the edges but I really don't see it as any different then the other "young bucks" in my collection: Kilchoman, Mackmyra, Kilkerran or Balcones as examples?  I will gladly offer Stalk & Barrel to friends or for sample trades and have already started doing so.  

Case in point:  A friend came over for supper last weekend and brought with her a Macallan 1824 Estate Reserve she purchased for $235 at a Duty Free shop abroad.  We opened & drank my Stalk & Barrel #3 (46% ABV) and she shared her Macallan with the rest of us.  She was heavily disappointed in hers and didn't think it was a reputable whisky brand worth the money she had paid.  When I told her how much I paid for Stalk & Barrel she was even more adamant it was a much better whisky for the value then the "other" stuff (I won't say what she actually called it after that).  Does it prove that a large brand name and expensive means better quality?  I don't know but it certainly makes me wonder sometimes as to what some people think that means.  I'd rather pay for quality vs name brand and don't get me wrong sometimes they do go hand in hand.  Mind you that seems to be happening less and less because it certainly feels sometimes like the whisky world is going to hell in a pretty handmade stamped mahogany box??!! I.E. -> Tuesday of this week someone paid 401 Euros for a 50ml sample of Ardbeg Ardbog on E-Bay.  Do you still think I'm crazy for my choice to purchase Still Waters? 

So to those of you who don't see the value in paying $100 for a whisky that isn't even 4 years old move along and continue to enjoy your expensive or very old bottles after all it's your dime.  BUT if you are someone who has an appreciation for quality then by all means at least try some and decide for yourself if you think it's quality for value. 

It's available in Ontario, soon to be released in Alberta, New Brunswick and in some of the USA.  

I don't normally post other people's opinions but the following two are Malt Maniacs and serious whisky imbibers whose "opinions" seems to be trusted by the masses.  If these two gentlemen are talking about Still Waters, I might not be as crazy as you think? :) 

http://whiskycast.com/episode-424-may-12-2013/ - At the 26:00 minute mark of Mark Gillespie's episode as well Still Waters website has Mark's notes/score.

http://t.co/TPNBmq49Mo He also visited the distillery.  I will post his interview with Barry & Barry once he airs it.

OH CANADA!!!!!

I've said for the last 4-5 years that we were on the brink of creating great whiskies.  John Hall from Forty Creek has opened that flood gate and as a result many more new and delicious whiskies are coming out of the wood work (pardon the pun).  Brink no more!  Canadian Whisky is here so don't limit yourself to your father's Crown Royal. I mean of course if you are happy with the "Walmart" stuff used to mix with Coke go for it.  But if you are ready for 100% ryes, whiskies bottled above 40% ABV, some that are finished in port/sherries or others released at Single Cask Strength get out there and at least try them!  Better yet, support Canadian and buy them.  Make no mistake, I do and will continue to do so.  I guess that makes me a self professed Canadian Whisky Ambassador somehow :) 


I am proud to buy and drink the whiskies I like.  Stalk & Barrel Cask Strength is very good.  Not only am I happy to have it in my personal collection, I look forward to sharing it and getting more.

Thanks Barry & Barry.  Oh.... and Phaedrus!

Lassie


Psssst!   Oh good, you are still here.  So another funny thing sort of happened while I was at the distillery. I thought I was picking up a small 50 ml sample for a fellow whisky writer, to which Barry & Barry obliged happily.  When I got home and told the friend I had his sample, he advised he had already picked up his own bottles.  So I ended up with a free sample...  If you are still reading and would like to win that sample, please retweet my story and I'll be drawing a name at random on Sunday May 26th.  

Is the Spirit of Toronto Whisky Gala worth attending? Damn skippy it is!!!

My goal this year was to attend 5 whisky events across Canada.  Spirit of Toronto has officially been checked off as #3. My parameters:  Cost (accommodations, events, classes, etc), Venue (Locale, food, geographic location), Classes (Quality, type, length), Main event (Availability of whiskies, venue, services, knowledge of exhibitors, etc.) & Overall personal experience (People, place, Whisky).  Scoring system:  A (Exceptional value), B (Great Value), C (70-80 Good value), D (Some value) and F (Fail) - Waste of time.

Here we go:  The Spirit of Toronto Whisky Gala has been running for 9 years.  It's produced by Johanna Ngoh who is known as an independent and outspoken reviewer of the whisky business.  SoT bills itself as the largest whisky show in Canada. It's a one evening event every year in May.  If you would like more information please visit their website at:

http://www.spiritoftoronto.ca

Pro #1 - It's held in Toronto which is easily accessible from any airport in the world.  

Pro #2 - Although only a one day event, it offers something for everyone (novice to full out whisky geeks)

Con #1:  Waited a long time for ticket info and confirmed classes (that's hard for someone coming from out of town that has to make flight & hotel arrangements)

Con #2:  I am a bit confused wit the definition of largest whisky show in Canada.  Largest how?

COST: 
Accommodations: The first of my chosen events not to have the venue at a hotel, so that meant doing a bit more research.  The SoT website offered 2 hotels with show rates: Fairmount Royal York and Marriott Residence Inn.  Fairmount rate $229/SoT rate $159.  Marriott rate $299/SoT rate $159.  Best deal I could find online (not related to show) for both: $129 for Fairmount and $179 for Marriott.  So, I took the $129 rate and saved $75.  

Heart of Downtown Toronto

The Fairmount Royal York is one of Toronto's oldest finest hotels.  Fact:  They have 3 bee hives on the 13th floor roof terrace.  The bees make about 700 lbs of honey every year and help pollinate the in-house herb/flower garden the kitchen uses. (thought I would share that, hehe).  It truly was a lovely stay at their hotel.

Events:  Nice selection and very unique: BBQ, Bourbon & Blues, Sipping with Ralfy (from Ralfy's Canadian Bothy), Whisky Cocktail lounge (with renown cocktail designers:  Yuki Yamasaki & Kentaro Wada) and an open poolside terrace to enjoy a cigar and a whisky (if that's your thing).  The only one that had a cost: Bourbon, BBQ & Blues - $10.00.  The others were part of your general admission ticket which was $135.

Classes:  12 classes total offered & ranged from $15 - $55.  They all sold out before the show.

Cost for my tickets:  $235 (Three master classes, early bird entry and show ticket)  

Total cost for lodging & whisky related events:  $533.

TOTAL COST SCORE:  A

VENUE:

Roy Thomson Hall is situated in the downtown theater district of Toronto.  On bus, tram and subway route.  

Pro #1:  Walking distance to hotel and everything else.  Literally at the heart of Toronto.

Pro #2:  Beautiful facility for this event.

Pro #3:  Spacious for master classes as well as main event.  

Locale:  As odd as this is going to sound the masterclasses seem to take place in the basement.  However, this was actually a plus I think because we were far removed from the main event, it was quiet and staff where everywhere to help with getting to/from the venue.  There was no opportunity to get lost.  Staff was plentiful and extremely helpful.

Food:  Unlike the other shows I have attended this year, the Spirit of Toronto does not take place at a hotel so the "food" portion of the actual event will be reviewed as part of the main showcase event below.  HOWEVER, from a food perspective for Toronto:  Whoa!  

Famous but defunct

We ate well no matter what type of meal we had, and it was never overly expensive.  Found a great cup of coffee in the Distillery district that didn't cost $5.00. Hundreds of great restaurants all within walking distance or a quick subway ride.  Truly great!

Location:  I have to say I'm not a big fan of Toronto however there is so much to see/do.  The transportation system is cheap, fairly easily to use and there isn't anything you can't get to within 20 minutes.  

TOTAL VENUE SCORE:  A-

CLASSES: 

Quality/type:  If I go back to the definitions I used during Victoria Whisky Festival, the "master classes" were misnamed in some cases.  Some of the master classes, in my opinion, should have been labeled as Grand Tastings:  Chip Tate, Angela D'Orazio, Harlem Wheatley and Michael Urquhart.  

There were 12 classes total available and it was very difficult to only pick two.  How can you pit Chip Tate against Charlie MacLean AND Angela D'Orazio!!!!   So coins were flipped and I had to choose.  So hard!!!

I chose my classes based on "availability".  In other words what was the likelihood I would ever get to see/imbibe with these people again?  So, Icons of Islay from Past to Present with Charlie MacLean and on recommendation from Chris Ste-Croix (fellow blogger) - Single Minded, About more than single malt scotch with Johanna Ngoh.   WELLLL...  neither class disappointed.  Although the whiskies were not crazy impressive (I did enjoy trying the Bowmore 1968) I certainly was impressed in in awe of Charlie MacLean.  He's the type of speaker than makes you feel like you are getting one on one attention and you hang on his every word.  The room was truly mesmerized and not many spoke.  

Johanna's class BLEW me away.  The whiskies are from her personal collection (HER HOUSE!!) and she picked some jaw dropping whiskies to share, with us. I think that is fabulous.  I think they are worth mentioning:

#1:  Sweden - Box - Forsmak 63% ABV, New make.  

1981 Karuizawa

#2: India - Amrut - Greedy Angel 53% ABV (1 of 144)

#3: Scotland - Berry Brother's - Blue Hanger 6th rel, 45.6% ABV

#4: Scotland - Girvan 48 year old (1964) 49.5% ABV (Whisky Agency "Fights" 2012)

#5: Japan - Karuizawa 1981 (30 years old) 55.8% ABV (Cocktail Series). 

People gasped, clapped hands and were beyond surprised with every reveal.  Johanna also did a fantastic job walking us through each whisky in a way that I had never seen done before.  Truly was as great as Chris told me it would be.  (Thanks!)

Pro#1:  Classes were extremely relaxed and we were encouraged to take our time and stay afterwards to talk to the presenters.  I LOVED THAT!

TOTAL CLASSES SCORE:  A+

Main Event:

I purchased an early bird ticket that cost $35.00.  It allowed access 30 minutes before the show.  I highly recommend doing this at any show if you can afford it.  It's worth it for me because I can go directly to the tables that have the whiskies I want to try.  Spirit of Toronto Gala was so diversified because you could

Charlie, me and Ralfy sharing a Lot 40

wander in/out of areas like:  Ralfy's Canadian Bothy and share a dram with him or walk over to the pool side patio and enjoy a really great cigar with your whisky then attend a master class, try a few more whiskies, or some cocktails served on hand carved ice balls.   The food:  WOW!  I have never encountered this level of deliciousness at a whisky event.  Personal wok boxes/chopsticks, Yorkshire puddings, carved ham (cooked to perfection) on baguette with grain mustard and cranberries, tables filled with gourmet cheeses, it was truly ENDLESS.  I ate very well.

The whiskies - over 100, spread out very nicely over two large areas.  Plenty of water available and spitoons.  Whisky varied from regional (Still Waters was there with their newest releases), North American and Internationally.  Independent bottlers, small craft distillers and of course the "Big guys".  The people pouring were great, mostly knowledgeable and quite friendly.

Whisky surprises for me:  G&M Mortlach 21 (I went back twice), Balcones 5th anniversary bourbon and Isle of Arran 16 year old.  ALL THREE IMPRESSIVE.

The only downfall of the Gala and it's so minor:  Trio of musicians were playing right beside where Ralfy was set up which meant he had to yell over the music in order to be heard.  

TOTAL MAIN SHOWCASE SCORE:  A-

Overall Personal Experience:

This Gala was truly exceptional in nature and had something available for the first time imbiber all the way to the geeks.  The venue was great, the people working behind the scenes helpful and very friendly.  Again yet another highlight for me was the caliber of people I got to meet and hang out with. The "bloggers" from GTA were the friendliest we have met thus far.  Rick (@rmculver) picked us up at the airport and showed us the time of our lives on Friday:  Breakfast at a marina (we are sailors so that was beautiful), his place for a quick couple of drams and some sample exchanges, to the Forty Creek Distillery where not only did we get personal one on one time with Ralfy but I got to see where my favorite Canadian Whisky is made.  

Me kissing the sleeping whisky !!!

I have secrets I can't divulge but what is coming for 2013 is going to surpass expectations from the Forty Creek followers!  If you want to reserve the bottle, visit www.fortycreek.com on May 27th to reserve your very own bottle of Heart of Gold. Check the site for the details (as there are restrictions..) Rick then brought us to Stillwaters Distillery (www.stillwatersdistillery.com) for a quick tour and where I purchased several bottles of the newest single malt done in Canada.  Then supper at Habits Gastropub with Angela D'Orazio & Jonathan Luks from Mackmyra, Matt (@scotchblog) & his wife, Ross (@ScotchGuyTO), Jeff (@boozeandbrains), Igor (@whiskyvip), Jarred (thecyclingyogi) and those are who I remembered (sorry if you are not listed).  

BIG FAN!!!

My Saturday morning was spent doing something quite exceptional with Angela D'Orazio that was exhilarating and was the highlight of my trip, then lunch then a few quiet minutes with Chip Tate (@BalconesWhisky) and then the show.  Afterwards of course was a huge party at Elephant & Castle. What a fantastic whisky community in Toronto!

We were treated like gold and I came away feeling utterly exhausted but happy.  Some of the notable people I got to see again:  Mark Gillespie, Lawrence Graham & John Hall.  Some new faces I was ecstatic to meet:  Charlie MacLean, Ralfy, Barry & Barry (Still Waters), Chip Tate & Angela D'Orazio.  

OVERALL PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SCORE:  A+

Something I'd like to acknowledge is how hard Johanna Ngoh must have worked to get this show accomplished.  I'm sure that behind the scenes there must have been moments of madness but you would never know it.  She has pulled off a coup by getting Chip Tate and Balcones Whiskies to Canada.  

BIGGER IN TEXAS!!

 Of all the feedback I have received about what was the most impressive for the evening (and I asked over 100 people) - BALCONES was it!   Many would love it here in Canada, so let's hope Chip is working his magic and able to divest into the Canadian market sometime in the near future.

My only advice to organizers:  Keep up the fantastic work.  You shouldn't bill yourself as the largest whisky show in Canada, I think that label clearly goes to the Victoria Whisky Festival, in my opinion.  

HOWEVER, you have the right to bill yourself as one of the BEST Canada has to offer!

FINAL SCORE FOR SPIRIT OF TORONTO WHISKY GALA:

If you live in Canada or are a fairly close US cousin, you really need to add Spirit of Toronto to your 2014 whisky events list.  It truly is the best show I've been too, so far this year.  Excellent value!

Ready for the next adventure, I hope you will join me soon...

Lassie