Fèis íle - Part 3 meh... with a silver lining

They, whoever 'they' is, always say that if you have nothing nice to say you shouldn't say anything at all. So, when I got to part 3 of my Islay trip I thought... do I print or not??? But then I realized it's just as important as the rest so why not share.

After spending a glorious first couple of days on Islay with some great whiskies and a fantastic distillery day (Bruichladdich), it appeared like the rest of the festival was going to be awesome! Well, distillery day 3 and 4 simply didn't stand out and if anything by the time we reached Caol Ila day I was suffering from 'idiot overload'. Let me explain. 

I try not to judge people who choose to do the following however by Sunday I was fed up and ready to punch a few in the head. Why you ask: Simply said I don't like "BFK's". Big Feeling Knobs. What is that you ask: It's the idiot who sits beside you in a tasting and never shuts up. The one who loudly talks incessantly about his HUGE whisky collection or the fact that the only reason he is at the festival is to buy as many of the Fèis ìle Limited Release Bottlings so that he can sell them on E-bay for 5X the price AND he's the guy who cracks the same stupid joke while the assistant pours the next whisky: "Hey sweetheart if you could pour just a little more of that in my glass because I'm drinking for two, snorts and laughs loudly..."  FFS and huge sigh...  

I didn't pay $50 to come to a tasting to listen to you be an asshole. I don't give a rat's ass how many bottles of rare and expensive Japanese whiskies you have in your cucking follection and I certainly don't care how rich or important you think you are in the country of your birth. 

So... back to Caol Ila day... While I sat in on the manager's dram selection tasting I was once again seated next to a BFK! He complained about the seating arrangement, the line up of whiskies, the lack of water, that the drams being offered were sub par and for all I know he could have been complaining about the big stick he had shoved up his arse that seemed to be causing his whisky constipation issues because by then I had completely zoned out and made pretend I was reading something very important in my journal... I tried desperately to salvage what little bit of sanity I had left as I nosed and tasted my way through a very nice line up of whiskies. I especially enjoyed the Caol Ila 25!

But.. like I said with the loudmouth ding dong sitting at my table it really took away from the whole experience so by the time I left the class I was downright grumpy. Outside in the distillery yard the festivities were in full swing: Food, music, drams, and plenty of people to talk to and that's when I started to relax and have fun. Steffen Brauner and the rest of the wonderful #whiskyfabric ended up being my saving grace for the next couple of days on the island. You'll notice that I haven't said anything about Laphroaig day yet and with good reason. It was packed with way too many people, slightly better than disorganized mayhem and honestly for a distillery that was celebrating it's 200th anniversary I expected something special. That was my first mistake: Expectation. The truth of the matter is Bruichladdich Day was so huge, wonderful and well done that, in my opinion it made the next couple of days pale in comparison. As I sat and thought about the things I could have/should have said about the Laphroaig Distillery day, nothing came to mind. Nothing really stood out. Sad isn't it. The crowds got to me, the BFK's were really getting to me. Caol Ila and Laphroaig days were at best mediocre in nature, except for the wonderful company of friends. 

 I did many things while we were on Islay that didn't involve waiting in line for a limited release bottling while listening to a boring BFK and it didn't cost me a fortune: We hiked up to the American monument and drank whisky together as friends. We walked along the seashore and took some breathtaking photos. Ate at little cafés and had fantastic conversations with the locals. (I loved the deep fried haggis balls and hand cut chips). Made plans to meet up with other whisky friends on the island - THANKS for the great night at Bowmore House -> You all know who you are!!! 

The most memorable and thought provoking moment came when we ate lunch in an old church that was converted into a self catering cottage. Steffen's friend John came in and he was greeted with warm handshakes/friendship all around. He asked if we wanted a whisky with our pepperoni pizza and of course we all said yes. He went over to a box near the door, popped open a brand new bottle and poured us all a dram.  

I'd like to take a moment to mention that John didn't really know any of us all that well other than Steffen (which again speaks volume about the fabric). Lots of laughing, stories ensued and we all enjoyed the whisky immensely. I think it was Bryan who asked to see the bottle and that's when my mouth dropped. You see, John owns quite a collection of whisky and the one he chose to open for us to share over pizza was this one:

So there I was eating a store bought $5.99 pepperoni pizza paired with a 1982 Port Ellen. The lesson in all that: John, like many of us, enjoys his whiskies. He doesn't spend an hour sitting beside you bragging about his collection. He, like many of us, chooses to open and share them with likeminded people. And he, like many of us didn't bat an eye to open something wonderful to enjoy with a slice of pizza. That my friend is the epitome of the #whiskyfabric I keep talking about. The ability to look past the snobbery, the pomp, the hooplah and the stupidity that surrounds us sometimes and simply say: "You know what, it's just whisky"...

Later that day, we all piled into a couple of cars and went on another hiking trip where I experienced a little bit of Scottish history at the Kildalton High Cross site. It was a lovely moment spent reflecting, learning and remembering all those who came before us.

 Piling back into the cars we continued our afternoon of exploring and ended up finding a beach that could have easily been mistaken for the Caribbean. Again, just a bunch of friends taking their shoes off (errr, one took off his pants) and wading through crystal clear azure coloured waters. Whisky samples and Glencairns came out yet again, and we toasted and drank with a lust for the life and moments we were experiencing. What did we drink? Doesn't matter. It was good and it came from the heart of the people who shared it from their personal collections (Thanks Steffen, Bryan, AND PETER... don' forget Peter).

I had expectations before i left for Islay that it was going to be 8 days of whisky, whisky and even more serious whisky! And to some extent it was. But taking it way too seriously is another thing altogether. So, by day 4 I had come to realize that some of the distillery days would be... meh... but the memories, and the time away from the distilleries spent with friends proved to be much more valuable and precious to me. The amount of times that bottles were popped, shared and truly discussed amongst friends happened way more often when we were not at a distillery day and the best part: No BFK's! 

I want to thank every single one of you (way too many to mention them all) who thought nothing of sharing a Port Ellen, Laphroaig 30 or your 1976 Ardbeg. The point that was important was that you shared, willingly, proudly and because... it's not about huge collections of unopened bottles, bragging rights or price tags. 

So if you plan on getting to Islay for Fèis ìle for the entire festival be prepared for a few ups and downs, some great and not so great distillery days. Word of advice: Make friends, do some sight seeing, take the time to talk to the locals and remember: Sometimes it's not even about the whisky. 

Cheers!

Lassie 

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! 

Speed nosing/tasting = Speed dating some "handsome" drams....

So a few years ago 6 bloggers got together on twitter and we did some speed nosing/tasting. For some it was quite serious, for others like myself, well I likened it to speed dating so decided I would write about it from that perspective. I really had fun with it, hope you enjoy the read...  :)

From the archives of Whiskylassie....

DING! Go. So, tell me about yourself I said to the first one as he sat in the chair in front of me.

My name is Uigeadail and I am 54.2%ABV (big smile). I come from an island called Islay. I'm blond with highlights of amber and I've got long strong legs. Hmmm, I thought... I knew he was nervous I could smell him from across the table: Earthy like, like wet moss. He must have eaten red cherry lifesavers before he came in. I think he was a smoker because when he talked it reminded me of ashes. Can I kiss you I said, hoping not to sound too forward. I was right. He tasted like a wet ashtray and something that reminded me of PVC piping. I was sort of interested but his finishing moves were too fresh, fairly short and to the point. He did make a few spicy comments, but they rubbed me like white pepper. Here, but quickly forgotten. Not what I was in the mood for at all. DING! (Thank God I thought, moving on)

Well hello there sweet young thing!? I'm PC6 he whispered, or at least that's what I think he said, pretty thick accent?? What's your ABV I said as he kissed my lips. It was mouthwatering and he reeked of rum raisin ice cream? He didn't really get my jokes and sense of humor is important to me but he wasn't exactly boring to sit with by any means. I was really hoping for a smouldering fire but got very little smoke or flame. As he reached over and caressed my cheek he whispered, I'm 61.6%. Cheeky monkey, trying to take advantage of me, the nerve! He came on strong, and really could make probably make an uneducated younger woman feel good but I knew better and simply smiled for the rest of the round letting myself swim in those lovely smouldering eyes. If only I was 10 years younger. DING! Moving on, next!!!

 Hey there little lady he said with a swagger and wearing a 10 gallon hat! WTF is this?? Smooth talker, so sweeeeeeeet he reminded me of a tall cool glass of root beer float on a hot summer night. But if you sat close enough you could smell that his hat must have been stored next to the fireplace he had in his basement back home in Texas! I think I detected some soot or creosote? I asked if I could kiss him, sure he said in his drawl. I think he had just eaten a greasy pork sandwich? MY WORD and what a powerful flavor that left behind. Oddest fellow I've ever met really? Left me quite perplexed and a bit surprised. I don't think I was his type because his finish was as long as the Jeopardy song, here and gone...? He stood up and said "Balcones ma'am", tipped his hat as the the bell went off and the last of the four speed dates arrived.


OH MY!? This one has Alligator boots on and an eye patch that says 51.2%. Nice I think, I can handle that, but the boots??? He seems sweet, bit quiet. Quite seductive and inviting. His aftershave smells a bit floral with a hint of banana or pineapple, something fruity and clean smelling. I found myseld quite attracted to this one and had to kiss him. It was intoxicating, hard and long. He tasted of smoky charcoal and delicious orange marmalade. My mouth watered and it left me slightly light headed but wanting more. DING! 

The speed round was done and as I watched the four lovely characters I had just met I decided the alligator boots could be overlooked. I spent the rest of the evening with that one, what a dram!

Speed nosing/tasting is not for the feint at heart and honestly it was more fun than educational in nature. 

It was lots of fun with and I often found myself giggling my ass off trying to keep up.  In the end, I tried 4 lovely smoky drams with Alligator coming out on top as my favorite that day and spent an hour with friends from all over the world sharing a great experience.


Lassie