New for 2010

Hello folks, - we're back in the land of the living now, after a tremendous Christmas and new year. Before we commence with our glad tidings for 2010, I was going to post details of a New Year's Eve whisky cocktail which went down well at our festive celebratory party, but I completely forgot, so here's the recipe:

Based on the premise of a baked apple, I fancied trying to get that fruity, buttery, boozy, aromatic flavour into a glass, reminding me of a great childhood dessert. Have a go and see what you think - I was calling this the 'Baked Winter Apple', for lack of a better name!

50ml Clynelish 14 yo, infused with butter. (basically, heat the whisky gently in a pan, adding a small nob of butter) Chill and then filter off the extra fatty bits with a mini sieve when making the cocktail.

30ml pressed apple juice (cloudy style)

25ml quality English cider

15ml maple syrup (for an extra-sweet treat, try making a rich Muscovado sugar syrup to use instead!)

15ml fresh lemon Juice

3 dashes of Boker's or similar cardamom bitters

1 dash of Aromatic bitters (Bitter Truth or Angostura)

2 Bar spoons of egg white (to give you a lovely froth)

Shake with lots of ice and serve in chilled Martini glasses, garnished with a thin slice of apple on the side (which you've pre-rubbed around the rim of the glass) and a grating of nutmeg.

The bitters, syrup and the butter-infused whisky all combine really well with the aroma and flavour of the apple. After a couple by the fire, I was definitely transported back to the Ridley homestead and my mother's baked apple dessert!!

Anyway... Happy New Year! hope you had a great Christmas and are now preparing for a productive 2010- here at Caskstrength we certainly are.

This year, will be endeavoring to bring you even more new whisky reviews, interviews and a couple of new sections- as well as some guest posts from several friends of ours (more to come soon!)

Also stay tuned for a special Bruichladdich tasting special, as well as some super releases from Berry Brothers & Rudd and, (with any luck) a feature on the first English whisky for 100 years, St Georges. As soon as we can get the horseless carriage running, we'll be taking a trip out to Norfolk to see for ourselves just what all the fuss is about!

Until then, we'll leave you with something we got to grips with over the festive period. Having rated the 1989 and 1990 editions highly, we were eager to try this, the most recent bottling.

Lagavulin - Distillers Edition - Distilled 1993 - bottled 2009 - 43%

Nose: Classic, sweet Laga smoke, with a hint of carbolic soap and some stewed apple (perhaps another whisky to try in the above cocktail, eh!). The finishing hasn't dominated the whisky at all, adding a little musty PX sherry cask notes but it remains extremely well balanced.

Palate: Demerera sweetness enters the palate first, which definitely indicates how active the sherry has been, but this soon subsides into some menthol, then a wonderfully fudge'y peat flavour, some cereals and a little fruity note- again baked /stewed apple. Really festive and simply delicious.

Finish: Apple and demerera/muscovado notes, lead into a full flavoured and lengthy finish.

Overall: I picked this up at duty free on the way back from edinburgh before Christmas and have waited patiently for the right time to open- it was a perfect wintry, holiday dram and is certainly helping me ease into a new year, which holds much promise.

Anyone got any resolutions? This year, I only have 2.

1. To master the Flugelhorn
2. To try more whisky like this....

Have a great 2010 readers and here's to a year of stupendous whiskies!!

Burns Night Bonanza...

"Oh Whisky! soul o' plays and' pranks!

Accept a bardie's gratefu' thanks!

When wanting thee, what tuneless eranks

are my poor verses!

Though comes - they rattle i' their ranks

At ither's arses!"

Robert Burns: 1759- 1796

Whisky lovers! our spiritual evening of merriment is almost upon us and cometh the hour for sitting down with friends & loved ones for a dram of your finest to accompany the most Scottish of all dishes: the humble Haggis.

This Burns night, I find myself somewhat pre-disposed, out of reach of a good bottling and unfortunately lacking in any Scottish delicacies.  But before I start recounting some of Burns' most heart-wrenching couplets to convey my misery- all is not lost!

Last Friday, I had the foresight to plan a Pre-Burns Night, evening with several close friends. 

A classic MacSween Haggis was purchased and a wonderful creamy mix of 'Neeps & 'Tatties prepared.  Someone even concocted an edible shrine to all things Scottish (see above) and had provided a proper send off for the Haggis, in the shape of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guard ceremonial band! (well, not the whole company, just one of 'em...)

The conversation quickly turned to which whisky would be the perfect liquid accompaniment... which ended up taking up a larger part of the evening than planned!  

Our fact-finding  took us the length and breadth of Scotland, with a little bit of a curved ball thrown in for good measure.  Below are our recommendations if you're planning on matching a cracking dram with your Haggi (is there a plural for Haggis?)

1. SMWS bottling 26.57 - 'An Absolute Cracker' - 55.4 % vol: This is a really superb dram and its waxy, zesty elegance worked really well with the spiciness of the meat and sweetness of the 'Neeps & 'Tatties.  Old Clynelish and (if you have some) Brora seem to have that special something when it comes to matching with well-flavoured meats...

2. Lagavulin - Distiller's Edition release 1990 - 43% vol: In the past, I have tried highly peated whiskies with Haggis and they just overpower the flavour completely and add a real sour note to the meal... This expression gets round the problem and the rich sweetness of the sherry finish takes the edge off that classic Laga' grit and grime, to meld mouthfuls of meaty delight!

3. Ardbeg Uigeadail - 54.2 % vol: Another bottling which balances the peat with some decent sherried notes.  Unfortunately, my bottle is a little old now and it didn't stand up as well as the Laga' or Clynelish, but that said, a fresh bottle would be an excellent choice for tonight's festivities.

4. Highland Park 18 yo - 43% vol: The sweetest and perhaps most lightweight of the bunch, with layers of honey, spice and orchard fruits.  This combined well with the savoury spice of the Haggis and brightened up the palate a little for our desserts (a devastating bowl of fresh Cranachan!)

5: The curved ball.... er..ok, here goes... Karuizawa Cask 3397 - Distilled 1988- Bottled 2007- 59.8% vol:  Sacrilege!!!  A Japanese whisky with Haggis?! on Burns Night??... Yes, shoot the messengers- we confess all!  it had to be tried at least and... it worked sensationally!!  The mossy, mustiness of damp forest floors and massive meaty sherried palate complimented the meal with total aplomb.  

Somewhat controversial, but let's hear it for equality!  All in all, a fine portfolio of five festive drams that we urge you to try tonight. If you haven't any of these, then go freestyle and find your own top match- the overall finding was that a balance between peat, sherry, sweetness and spicy clout seemed to work best.  

~Slainte!!