Teeling's Hybrid Theory

Earlier this year, all eyes were Ireland bound for the biggest news surrounding Irish whiskey in decades.  The Cooley Whiskey Company had reached an incredible $95 Million agreement to sell the company to American whiskey giants, Beam Global, owners of Jim Beam, alongside Islay powerhouse, Laphroaig.  With such a war chest to play with, one wondered what the Teelings, Jack and John - former owners of Cooley, would do next... retire to the Bahamas? Yachts?? Party???

Well, they decided to do what they clearly know best and start a brand new whiskey company.  

In April they announced the birth of The Teeling Whiskey Company, initially deciding to focus on some stocks of aged whiskeys they had acquired.  However, their most recent release, Hybrid, has now firmly put the new company on the map, with the same spirit of independence the Teelings approached Cooley with.    

Hybrid claims to create a brand new category of whisk(e)y - effectively bringing together Irish whiskey and Scotch whisky in the same bottle.  Whilst it's not the first time this novel idea has being employed by the Teelings - Cooleys & similarly progressive distillers Bruichladdich partnered up to previously release Celtic Nations (a blend of single malts from Bruichladdich and Cooley, whose use of the phrase 'Celtic Malt' got the SWA totally rattled, subsequently banishing it to the naughty cupboard)  Hybrid is the first release for the Teeling Whiskey Company and is comprised of a marriage of ten year old Cooley with Bruichladdich single malt, which have been aged together for a further eight years. 

1,400 bottles of Hybrid No.1 Edition will be released this month, retailing for £30.  

Now type the word 'Hybrid' into google and you're immediately presented with a load of pretty boring looking cars (save for the wonderfully curvy Porsche 918 Hybrid)  So is this idea of a hybrid whisk(e)y a legitimate one, or is there a reason why this hasn't been explored successfully before?  

Let's find out what all the fuss is about... and more's the point, let's hope this Hybrid is more like the Porsche, rather than the Toyota Prius...

Teeling Whiskey Company -  Hybrid - No.1 Edition - 44.7%  

Nose: Initial soft fruit notes, some dusty books, white pepper, buttered brown toast and a slight waft of old lobster pots/sea air/iodine. With a little time, some vegetive notes develop (mashed potato and green beans.)  Direct and very appealing. 

Palate: Very thick and rich on the palate, tongue coating and silky.  The peat smoke combines with a sweetness to great effect -  think a smoky version of golden syrup and you're somewhere nearby.  Further notes of green apple skin and liquorice can be found with the addition of  water, which really opens the Hybrid up. It is moreish, easy to drink and quite frankly, an ideal session whisk(e)y, based on its easy-going palate.

Finish: Fresh, with smoky overtones and a hint of drying oak.

Overall:  Well... that works.  Congratulations to the Teelings -  despite the fact that this is such a simple idea, combining two distinctly different styles of whisk(e)y together and re-maturing them again is a cracker. £30 a pop makes this pretty much a no-brainer if you're getting a few friends round for a bit of a session too.    

 Hybrid...high marks indeed.  

Les Bruichladdich

Well, it's official. After the chatter on Twitter, the following press release was sent to us by Mark Reynier about the sale of Bruichladdich to Rémy Cointreau: 


Rémy Cointreau UK Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Rémy Cointreau Group has agreed to acquire Bruichladdich Distillery Company Limited, the Islay single malt

Scotch whisky distiller.

The transaction marks the group’s first move into the premium single malt Scotch whisky market, a category experiencing strong growth all over the world, especially in the very high-end segment. This deal sustains Rémy Cointreau’s long term value strategy, geared to investing into international premium spirits with strong “savoir-faire”.

Bruichladdich, the progressive Hebridean distiller, was purchased in December 2000 by Mark Reynier and a group of private investors who resurrected the Victorian distillery developing it in to an exciting brand with worldwide acclaim.

Total transaction value amounts to £58m, comprising of £48m for the acquisition of the entire

share capital of Bruichladdich and estimated debt of £10m that Rémy Cointreau will assume.

Jean-Marie Laborde, Chief Executive Officer of Rémy Cointreau said:

“The acquisition of Bruichladdich, a renowned Islay single malt with a rich and exciting heritage, is a great opportunity to enrich our high-end portfolio of brands and to confirm our strategy in the spirits luxury segment. We expect Bruichladdich to sit proudly alongside our other brands and we look forward to working closely with Bruichladdich’s experienced and passionate management team”.

Sir John Mactaggart, Chairman of Bruichladdich declared:

“This is an excellent transaction for Bruichladdich, the Islay community and a wonderful

opportunity for the company to reach its full potential, under the stewardship of Rémy Cointreau with their strong distribution network and their experienced brand development. I’m confident that Bruichladdich will establish itself as one of the Scotch whisky industry’s best known and acclaimed premium brands.”

Completion of the transaction is expected to occur within 6 weeks.'

So where does this the distillery now?  Well, in pretty good hands actually.  According to Chairman Sir John MacTaggart, 'I am particularly pleased Rémy Cointreau will be retaining the existing staff and will continue to keep Bruichladdich as an Islay-based business. Although they are a quoted company, Rémy Cointreau are still a family controlled business, founded nearly 300 years ago.'

We asked Mark Reynier for an update on his own situation and haven't heard anything back as of yet, but no doubt, the industry would be a poorer place without him.  

What about the whisky?  Well, we suspect that there won't be any fundamental changes here -  why would Rémy tinker with the formula? Let's hope not, in any case. 

Some people have been particularly critical about this sale - but let's not forget that ten years ago, the team of investors took a distillery in desperate need of attention, turning the business around into a 55,000 case enterprise. We've not always been a fan of the distillery releases, but there's no mistaking that the recent milestone Ten Year Old has left the distillery in a fine place. 

Good luck to the team and we look forward to the new expressions, which will no doubt be popping out in the future.

A Rumble In Penge

The Ridley nursery barely had room for a cot

Surprisingly, my first week of self-imposed paternity leave has been incredibly easy going (famous last words)  Little Lois Ridley, now seven days old has been sleeping and feeding well (with the occasional grizzle) and in-between naps, I have found the time to not only re-catalogue my whiskies, but to also compose a soothing baby sound track in the style of the great early 60's electro pioneer and wizard musician, Raymond Scott.  

Analogue soundscapes await baby Lois.  

Digging out my ancient Korg MS10 analogue synth, a Watkins Copicat tape echo and other antique sonic gizmos, I have been trying to tap into a soundscape that transfixes a baby, stimulating their ears, yet soothing them at the same time.











Scott released several masterpiece long players (which you can still get hold of) including a suite of recordings in 1964 designed to help parents bring their new babies into the world. 'Soothing Sounds For Baby' was released in collaboration with the Gesell Institute of Human Development and you can check the various recordings out here:  and here.

So far, my own project has had some success, albeit making the composer fall asleep several times at the keyboard, which I take to mean the principles also apply to big babies, like my good self.

If you happen to be passing Caskstrength Towers any time soon and hear some outer-worldly sounds, rumbles and sophoric drones emanating from the nursery, you'll know i'm at work, or have just hit the keyboard randomly in a heavy slumber.

Speaking of rumblings, several kinds have reached us at Caskstrength this week.  Firstly the news that Bruichladdich looks to be up for sale and that Cognac giants Remy Martin are in advanced discussions with the distillery owners.  Whether this means more cognac finishes is anyone's guess, but it demonstrates the significant position the Islay distillery are in after ten years of hard work building up their somewhat formidable reputation.

Secondly a brand new 'Rumble' has just hit our desks.  Balcones distillery, the Texas-based craft operation lovingly run by Chip Tate are becoming well known for their experiments in flavour, casting the net wide when it comes to new ways to produce innovative spirit.  This version of Rumble follows on from the one we were first bowled over by at Whisky Live London back in March.

For those of you who aren't familiar with this genre defying spirit, have a glance at our review here.  Rumble falls between the categories entirely -  in fact, as Chip likes to call it - the 'Spirit of Texas' is not a whisky (as it contains no cereal and is made predominantly from sugar) but is not technically a rum either, as its other key ingredients are wildflower honey and Mission figs. So it's somewhere in-between mead, brandy, rum and whisky -  the latter comparison coming from the already formidable woody complexity it has gained, despite its tender age.

This new batch of Rumble will hopefully be available in the UK shortly through a well-known retailer and well worth seeking out if you fancy a step in the direction of the deep south... it's not quite The Dukes Of Hazzard but it sure do taste purdy...

Balcones -  Rumble -  Cask Reserve -  Batch RCR12-1 - 58.1%      

Nose: Beguiling stuff. At first some sweet brown sugar, followed by chopped hazelnuts, vanilla pipe tobacco, dried coconut, milky coffee and chocolate covered dairy fudge.  It could so easily be a well aged whisky, but just has something different up its sleeve. Make no mistake, this is hot and needs a little dash of water to calm it down, but when you do, furniture polish, dried figs, rich Oloroso sherry, brittle caramel and something slightly mossy hit the nose to great effect.  

Palate: Very sweet at first- think over-muscovado sugared espresso and you're close.  With time on the palate, the coffee notes increase, alongside some brandy/Armagnac dryness, more vanilla and an anise/clove backdrop.  Again, the addition of water really broadens the palate, but make no mistake, this is powerful stuff. 

Finish:  The sweetness gives way to lingering coffee, with woody spices and dark honey.

Overall:  I really don't know where to place Rumble.  It performs so well as neither a rum, whisky or brandy, yet has the desirable qualities of all of these in abundance.  It is a beast of a drink and will catch a few people out on the palate, but it has opened up a wealth of possibilities in the cocktail world and as a sensational sipper.  Chip, hats off again for your latest rumblings.... 

Islay Odyssey - Day Five: Des Lynham's Time Travelling Swedish Mercedes

So little time! It's hard to believe that our time on this great island is nearing an end already.  But Friday brings lots of places to visit and drams to catch up on.

Our first port of call is Bunnahabhain and their pier side open day.  Last year, the distillery open day was a little waterlogged and chilly, but not this time around.  Bathed in sunlight, the place looked exceptionally rustic, coupled with the mini highland games, laid out on the lawns to the back of the distillery.

Caskstrength opted for a little display of gentlemanly prowess by having a go at the caber tossing.  Not one to be outdone, Harrison threw first and made a total dog's dinner of the thing, with the angle of the fallen caber looking more like a badly pitched tent pole.  Ridley however used a fairly uncommon throw  based on similar principles to that of the Duckworth-Lewis Method, involving weather systems, trajectory and alcoholic beverage consumption.  It would prove to be a triumphant move and a despondent and defeated Harrison slunk off to find a consolation whisky.  Fortunately, a dram of Bunna' 18yo was located, alongside a tasty cup of freshly flash-fried local scallops.

Our time at the distillery was limited so we popped over to Bruichladdich for a catch up and a try of their  festival release, Nostalgia -   a big bold beast distilled in 1992 and matured in a Barolo cask, with rich dark fruity overtones and a touch of dryness.  


Our next whistle stop visit was over at Kilchoman for a little snack (soup of the day and a tuna roll always fix a hangover) and a dram of the new Machir Bay release.  This release has been buzzing amongst other Feis goers so we thought it high time we gave it a try.

Kilchoman - Machir Bay - NAS - 46%

Nose: Smoke and toasted marshmallow intertwined with hints of vanilla, elderflower and spearmint.

Palate: Delicate for a smoky whisky with cream cheese softness, underpinned with banana milkshake and smoke.

Finish: Warming, long and lingering with vanilla pods and spices.

Overall: One of the best whiskies we've tried on this trip, it belies its age and, at less than £40 a bottle, could well become a session whisky for peated single malt lover.

A short while later and feeling refreshed and revitalised, we decided to spend the evening exploring the island's rich history of illicit distillation, particularly retracing the long lost distilleries of the southern shore- all will be revealed in our next post! 

For Peat's Sake

Damn it. The sun is shining outside, it's Good Friday, I've already consigned a wheelbarrow full or junk from the house to the garage and it's not even lunchtime yet.

But whilst I would usually use this quiet time of reflection, pre-fry up, to consume something a little lighter in weight, say a cup of Earl Grey tea, or maybe if i'm feeling daring, a lively Bloody Mary, a particular bottle has been sat at my desk for the past two weeks and it's high time I reviewed it.

The bottle in question is called Peat's Beast. According to the bottle, it is 'an intensely peated single malt Scotch whisky, un-chill filtered, as it should be' and is also 'a ferociously full-bodied single malt packed with a big bite of untamed peatiness.'

OK, so we've got one thing straight- it's a peated whisky. Its age and origin are unknown and apart from the wonderful Gerald Scarfe-esque illustration on the label, there is little information to hand, other than it is very light in colour.

The sun is still brilliant outside and before i've even uncorked the bottle, the house has just become very smoky, due to my neighbours having a small (yet unnervingly unruly) garden fire, so not the best of circumstances to try this beast. But whilst most of South London wash their cars or listlessly push hover mowers over their unkempt lawns, which is the usual Good Friday practice, i'm going to scale a peaty precipice - or something like that.

Peat's Beast - 46%

Nose: Bung cloth, moist oaky staves (like sticking your nose in a fairly used Hogshead), some dry sherry, spent matches, cream sofa and a hint of wood smoke. Dig a little deeper and some smoky bacon notes emerge, but it is not as ferocious as some of the big hitting Islay monsters, such as Ardbeg's Supernova, or Bruichladdich's Octomore. In fact, rather than a roaring fire, it is more like the dampened embers of a bonfire the day after a rain soaked firework display.

Palate: What the nose lacks by way of peat, the palate comes up with . It is youthful, harsh, aggressive peat smoke at first, not oily on the palate, but quite thin. There is also a huge dusting of white pepper, malted chocolate, some musty, mossy notes and then a little sweetened apple juice on the death. A little unbalanced, but peaty nonetheless.

Finish: The smoke lingers for a while, replaced with more peppery notes, dying down and leaving more of that burnt bonfire aroma/flavour in the mouth, like you've just gulped down some smoky-but-moist November air.

Overall: Peat's Beast may not be the big hitter you're looking for- if - and I repeat, if you are already an aficionado of big peaty whiskies, but to the uninitiated, this will certainly do the trick. In the arena of big-tottin' peated bottlings, Douglas Laing's Big Peat probably goes that extra yard in the smokestack stakes, but in my opinion, both pale into the background compared to Compass Box's Peat Monster, which has an additional complexity underneath all that smokiness.

Think i'll go off to enjoy a glass of light and refreshing Rosebank in the garden now... Oh, no.. wait...

The Twelve Drams Of Christmas - Part Six

Seven shopping days to go now, so for those intent on hitting the shops soon, you'd better get a move on!! Of course, I say that with the aplomb of a man in receipt of all his Christmas gifts, which couldn't be further from the truth. Yikes. Better get thinking fast.

In case you're still looking for a decent dram, either for yourself or friend/relative/loved one/boss etc then we still have another seven whisky suggestions out there, including this brace of rambunctious beauties from TV wine critic and all-round blond-haired bounder, 'Jolly' Olly Smith.

Olly has been gracing our screens on programmes such as Saturday Kitchen for several years (the only man to dare introduce a dry sherry pairing with a fish dish, so we whole-heartedly salute him) and before that was, and we kid you not, a script writer for the universally brilliant Pingu!!

You can check out Olly's exploits here, but in the meantime, take it away sir!!

'Righty-ho! Christmas drams, eh. My choices would be Old Pulteney 21 year old for its uplifting bright spank or Bruichladdich 'The Organic' for its outrageously luxuriant creaminess. Hooray!'

Perfect choices for easing that after-dinner inflated feeling, we think...

Old Pulteney - 21 year old - 46%

Nose: Apple pastry, vanilla notes, some metallic/copper ,vaguely floral /aftershave aroma, into malted cereal (think Shreddies and you're near the mark) gooseberry fool and kiwi fruit.

Palate: Sweet, with more of the malted cereal, a dusting of icing Sugar, hint of salt, marzipan, stewed apples and a deft hint of spice.

Finish: A hint of drying wood, leading into creamy coconut notes, crisp green apples and a a re-emergence of the gooseberry.

Bruichladdich - The Organic - 46%

Nose: Malted cereal, cracked ears of corn (sort of sweet and malty) leading into an abundance of sweet vanilla notes, creamy custard and some freshly sliced green apple. With time, a butteriness emerges, with a refreshing light lemon tart aroma.

Palate: The Vanilla custard dominates the palate, with a little fanfare of orchard fruit arriving shortly after the hit of smooth creaminess. Coconut and sliced apples also appear as the palate dries.

Finish: Clean and short, with a tart fruit note.

Our next whisky will be chosen by a brilliantly-bearded titan of the whisky world. No prizes for guessing who.

BiG Award Shortlist 2011 is here!

Well here we are once again, the back end of the year with winter well and truly gripping tighter than an uptight python. Despite the relatively austere year which seems to have encircled the globe, the whisky business remains as upbeat and buoyant as ever and judging by the releases we've experienced, one of the best in taking whisky of all kinds to unprecedented heights.

So it gives us great pleasure to announce the 2011 BiG Award short list.

By way of a short recap, here at Caskstrength we don't like faffing around. In our opinion, modern day whisky awards tend to be dominated by too many categories, sub categories and sub, sub categories, rendering them pretty pointless to the general public and... achingly dull to read about.

So why not get the ten best whiskies released in a calendar year in one room, with a panel of like-minded imbibers and choose one overall winner, or... Best in Glass. The major caveat is that every short listed entry must be available to order from a regular or specialist retailer. No festival bottlings, club/society-only releases or international exclusives fit the bill. This is the 4th year the award has run, with previous winners impressing and delighting in equal measures.

And so here we are today. The Albannach in Trafalgar Square is our generous host venue. Our panel of highly experienced judges/imbibers is assembled, the 10 whiskies poured and all is good. Apart from the fact that we haven't told you what the drams are yet!

So without further ado, here we go, in no particular order...

Redbreast 12 year old Cask Strength Edition

Mackinlay's Shackleton Rare Old Blended Whisky

Lagavulin 12 year old 2011 Edition

The Naked Grouse

Black Bull 40 year old Batch Two

Bruichladdich 10 year old

Jura 1976 Feith A' Chaorainn Vintage

Tomatin Decades

Ardbeg Alligator (committee release reviewed here)

Chichibu The First

We'll be reporting the details of the winning whisky tomorrow along with comments from our judging panel.

Congratulations to the shortlisted 10 whiskies!!

I'm Not A Plastic Bag

It’s a gloriously sunny day in London. The season can’t make its mind up if it wants to give us a prolonged Indian Summer or if Autumn should really kick in with a vengeance.

Such is the ferocity of the sunshine, that it is very much a day for short sleeves. So much so, that I’ve been out for a long walk this morning to enjoy the sunshine, especially as the evenings are drawing in faster than a British Defence Secretary’s political career.

And so it is, that I find myself at the always popular Borough Market. A hive of Middle Class activity, this particular food market in London is a honeypot for wannbe Jamie Olivers; if a bomb was to go off at the height of the lunchtime rush hour, in middle of the complex, The Guardian readership would surely be cut by 20%.

As I queue in the simmering autumnal heat for a chorizo sandwich (exactly...) I find myself surrounded by a good few couples. It’s a Saturday lunchtime and, without exception, each couple seems to be evenly weighted: a woman in her mid twenties to mid forties, a cotton tote bag with a witty political / ecological / ethical statement printed on the side (“Yes We Can” / “I’m not a plastic bag” etc), weight down no doubt by a selection of organic veg, her wannbe-bought-in-OXFAM-but-actually-quite-expensively-bought -from-anthropologie crocheted skirt brushing the tops of her soft brown leather brogues, she leads her boyfriend through the crushing crowds with her other hand.

He looks lost, confused at the real difference between the organic apples in the bag and the ones his girlfriend usually buys from the Waitrose just off Upper Street. Adorned in skinny jeans, turned up just above the ankles, no socks and battered deck shoes, his Lyle & Scott cardigan hides a.n.other t-shirt from anyone of the fashion houses who supply Urban Outfitters.

I’m wear a not-to-dissimilar outfit (from the chap, not the lady), save from the deck shoes (do me a favour), the addition of a pair of socks (it is October, after all) and my t-shirt, which is a football top. It is a Saturday, my team are playing (somewhere dreadful in the North) and I’m proud to wear a shirt that says “This is my team and later on I’ll have a cold beer and listen to the commentary via the local radio’s website.” (I’ve never been to Macclesfield and, to be honest, not sure I ever want to go.) But as the couple brush past me, the chap catches my eye. Then looks me up and down.

There is a look of despair in his eyes. It was immediate, even before he caught sight of my attire. And then it happened. He clocked my football shirt. And it was as if something snapped, deep in him.

“Why can’t I wear my football shirt out?” he seemed to say. “It’s a Saturday. I want to go home and drink a beer and listen to the commentary. But I can’t. I’ve agreed to help prepare an organic dinner party for Sophie’s friends. She’ll go ape-shit if I even look up the scores on my iPhone. Why am I here? Why am I alive?”

Well, my friend. That’s life. You’re now part of a team. And that team wants to present you to the people of this planet as her boyfriend. As a result, you can’t be seen to be wearing football shirts to a middleclass mecca such as Borough Market. Not even on a Saturday. What if, shudder, she was to run in to some of her colleges from the charity she works for? Or, worse still, some of her friends? What would they say if her man was wearing a hideous nylon football top? You might as well spit in their face... or be carrying a plastic bag from Iceland.

When bottling a whisky, the major distillers need to make sure their liquid represents the brand they’ve spent years developing. You can’t suddenly whack out an unpeated Ardbeg 10 Year Old in the same bottle. Or a non-sherried Macallan in an Own Bottle. They, much like the girl above, have worked hard to develop the image of their partner. The whisky has expectations to meet; it can’t be seen to be wearing a football shirt. Oh, gosh no.

However, independent bottlings can do what the hell they like. It’s the equivalent of a day at home: you can throw off the shackles of ‘appearance’, stick on those baggy old jimjam bottoms and your stained old football shirt from last time your team won a cup and act how the hell you like. It’s still you, but without any boxes to tick. That’s where indie bottling excel. They’re the whisky, but relaxed.

Queen Of The Moorlands Rare Cask Edition XXXVII - Bruichladdich – 2001 – Cask #312 – 1^st Fill Ex Sherry Hogshead – 62.5% vol

Nose: very sharp initially, but with some air strong toffee notes (bluebird), old B&B wardrobe draws, smoke and a hint of seaweed. The sherry is the predominant driver to the nose, giving it good body. With water, mocca notes develop as does walnut and hazelnut tones.

Palate: The peat creates a good bed for toffee notes, but crunchy toffee like the middle of a Dime Bar. With water the whole dram comes alive, with increased brandy butter flavours, the nutty tones from the nose (emphasis on the walnut over the hazelnut) and some burnt sugars.

Finish: Burning embers of pulled pork with smoky sauce, sweet sugars (brown) and dark rye bread.

Overall: A heavily flavoured dram that needs water to come alive. Lots of rich flavours which balance well but could be overpowering if the water ratio isn’t right. This bottle will give you twice as much whisky, as it really does take water. Meaty, smoky and fully flavoured.

This is one of the first bottles from the new ownership distillation, and can be bought for £80 here.

2 (Exactly-The-Same-But) Very Different Bruichladdichs

As we move seamlessly into Autumn, we're feeling increasingly chipper about the next few months in the run up to Christmas. Whisky it seems is really firing on all cylinders internationally and domestically, thanks to the success of programmes like Mad Men, there is definitely a halo effect surrounding the cool aspect of our favourite spirit.

It's never been busier for whisky tastings either. Caskstrength have been out and about across the UK - and in a couple of cases abroad, meeting folks, drinking and hopefully converting new drinkers to our wicked ways.

Just over a week ago, Both Joel and myself find our in very different climates indeed. Mr Harrison was over on Islay sampling the brand new bottling of Bruichladdich 10yo, whereas I was boarding a ferry to the continent with one third of Master Of Malt (the irrepressible Mr Ben Ellefsen)

Our destination was Maltstock, a genuine whisky festival, set in the wonderful (less-than-rolling) countryside of Nijmegen, Holland. Ben and myself had been asked to present a masterclass on Closed Distilleries and we were raring to go - whiskies, amusing slideshow and the back up plan of a revealing dance, should the talk go badly.

Despite missing our initial ferry, hitting traffic pretty much all the way through Belgium and Holland, we arrived 12 minutes before the talk was due to start, calmly set up and kicked off with a set of 5 cracking bottlings from closed distilleries:

1. Littlemill 1990 (a Murray McDavid 18yo bottling)

2. Glenlochy 1980 (Signatory 30yo bottling)

3. Tamnavulin 1981 (Master Of Malt 16yo bottling) - Yeah, ok so the distillery has re-opened, but it was closed when this was bottled.

4. Caperdonich 1972 (Duncan Taylor 38yo bottling)

And finally, a wonderful Hanyu 23yo.

In anybody's book, that's gotta be a decent lineup, right?

Needless to say that the tasting kicked off, right good an' proper and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun. Hell, I even managed to get a laugh, when comparing the imaginary re-opening of a closed distillery to the feeling of watching the A-Team in your 30's (no matter how much you want it to be, it just isn't the 'same')

A goldmine of Silverseals and one of the tables full of brown booty...

After catching up with Mr Billy Abbott (who was presenting Speciality Drinks' brand new Elements Of Islay range) we visited the 'Gathering' area - a little outdoor quad, surrounded by chairs, benches and, most importantly, four large tables with what can only be described as a burgeoning plethora of sensational whiskies- probably a good 200 different bottlings, generously donated by attendees. Mind Blowing Whiskies. At this point, I hadn't been drinking, but try saying this mouthful of superlatives after a few drams and it probably translates roughly as: plugghenbughsgedgh suughphr whiskies.

I think this is where a distinction must be drawn. In actual fact, not a single person I saw over-indulged in the incredible treasure trove on offer. I was trying to imagine if this sort of set up would work in London, Manchester, Glasgow or for that matter, anywhere in the UK. It just wouldn't.

Anyway, I chose a few different bits and bobs, that immediately caught my attention:

A 1.5L bottle of White Horse, from the early 1980's. Apparently this was purchased for the absolutely incredible price of 30 Euros... Come on! that's insane.

I absolutely adore trying whiskies like this. They taste like time capsules and highlight just how good a lot of these blends actually are... and indeed were. Think a wash of creamy fudge, peat, paraffin lamps, cream soda and sponge cake all colliding with buttery shortcake, caramel sauce and wet cotton wool.

A 1974 Highland Park First Cask Bottling. Slightly tired, but classic old HP smoke and fruit notes, mixing with some sweet marzipan notes.

finally- and thanks to Mr Abbott - a sneak preview of one of the Whisky Show's undoubted forthcoming highlights; A rare Lochside single blend from 1964. Just how does a whisky become this fruity? It is exactly like drinking a glass of tropical fruit juice. Absolutely superb and unique.

But one dram that also caught my eye was an old bottling of Bruichladdich 10yo.

How interesting... Here I am, over in mainland Europe, drinking a very old Bruichladdich 10yo and there is Joel, over on Islay at exactly the same time, drinking a brand new Bruichladdich 10yo.

So here we go... Old vs New.

Bruichladdich 10 Year Old - 40% - Bottled... 90's?? Anyone please feel free to chip in here

Nose: Wow. Very fruity, with delicate smoke swathes and classic Trebor Refreshers sweets. Not what I expected at all.

Palate: Wet cardboard, fruit salad sweets and some sweet maltiness. Very different to the large majority of Bruichladdich bottlings I have tried previously. A faint waft of peat pops in at the end and most welcome it is too.

Finish: Butterscotch notes and sweet shortbread notes.

Overall: Surprising. Very low peating levels have given this an almost unrecognisable character. Sure, the bottle has probably been open a little while, but I enjoyed this. It won't blow every 'laddich fan away, but these old bottlings are worth seeking out if you can find them- purely for interest value. - check out the latest Scotch Whisky Auction, as one is a current lot.

So there we have it, a promising start from the old style bottling. Over to our Islay correspondent for an update on the brand new bottling... Motty, sorry Harrison:

That's right Ridley. You join me on a windswept Saturday afternoon on Islay, spiritual home of whisky and the place where men are men, where bleak is chic and where a 'spade' is most definitely called a 'shiel'.

The Bruichladdich teamsheet today reads like a catalogue of Brazillian rap stars- WMD, 3D3 and Black Arts up front in the formidable 'prong formation', Ugly Betty & Octomore on the wings, the power duo of Rocks and Waves in solid defence, with the recent signing X4+1 in goal. The controversial striker, Port Charlotte remains on the bench and captaining the side today is the powerhouse - (Big) Jimmy McEwan, under the watchful eye of the Turquoise Terrors' veteran coach, Mark 'Never-A-Rainy-Day' Reynier.

A lot has been made of this team and like a mighty falling oak, they're able to change direction in a second. Now, there is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a sea are we now afloat and we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures. For a new Bruichladdich 10 year old now awaits...

Bruichladdich – 'The Laddie 10 Year Old' – 46% abv

Nose: The light and delicate nose gives off subtle tones of crème brulee, fresh lemon cheese cake dusted with icing sugar and some seaside notes. This is the Islay equivalent of a stick of brighton rock. You hear the seagulls squawking as the aromas hit your nose.

Palate: The first impression is of Scottish tablet with a creamy undertone and some superb sugary notes, which are in no way sickly. Gingerbread and sweet tea are the headline flavours. Very well balanced with some boiled sweets and heathery tones. You know this is an Islay whisky, but not because of the peat. There is a real personality about the palate, but it is not overwhelming; to say this is easy to drink would be an understatement of gigantic proportions.

Finish: The finish is where the wood influence kicks in, with some spices, more vanilla and the gingerbread, carrying on though in a delicate way.

Overall: Well, what can we say? This is seriously one of the best entry-level Islay whiskies on the market and will appeal to those who don'’t have a huge appetite for peat. This whisky could become a flagship bottling not just for Bruichladdich, who need some stability behind their releases, but for the island as a whole.

Big words eh. Try it for yourself and let us know what you think...

Many thanks to Maltstock for putting on such a terrific event and we'll see you again next year. Anyone thinking of running a whisky event should certainly see how its really done. For another view, check out Ben's blog post on the weekend.

Road To Islay Day 3: Spent Wees

What a difference a day makes when you’re visiting Islay. From the meteorological nightmare of Saturday, Sunday sees a return to bright sunshine for Bruichladdich’s open day. Surely Jim McEwan must have done a deal with someone to ensure almost perfect conditions for the past 10 years now… perhaps their Black Arts bottlings hint at a slightly darker side to the distillery??

Whatever the case, 12pm arrives and a queue of eager festival goers wait patiently for the gates to swing open and the courtyard is bathed in bright sunshine and the smell of drams weighing heavily in the air.

This year’s festival bottling is different to the previous few. Although there is a regular Valinch in the shop, Bruichladdich have decided to celebrate the launch of the Feis and their new website with 2, 70cl bottlings – a 1998, distilled by Whyte & Mackay in a 2 weeks when the distillery was mothballed and 3 years before the new owners got the keys. The second bottling is a 2001 made using some of the first distillate made by the new owners, released to mark 10 years since the reopening. There are 2000 bottles of each release priced at £50 each. Let’s put the 2 whiskies head to head:

Bruichladdich Reborn – 1998 - 46%

Nose: Light cream soda notes, vanilla ice cream, lemonade and a faint waft of peat. Apparently it is mixture of lightly peated spirit and some with a higher 25ppm.

Palate: Sweet maltiness, leading into a buttery cream toffee note and spicy sugar coated licorice.

Finish: The peat lingers on the palate, but there is a distinct ‘vintage feel’ to this whisky- different to other Bruichladdichs we’ve tried.

Bruichladdich Reborn – 2001 – 46%

Nose: Boiled sweets, candyfloss, a hint of nuttiness and a slightly more pronounced ‘box fresh’ peat- i.e. a bit brighter and direct.

Palate: Sweet sugary tea, creamy cereal and slightly sooty, oaky peat, which coats the tongue

Finish: lingering peat, with a further drying oak note resonating.

Overall: Given time in the glass, both whiskies develop and really open up. If you love sweeter, buttery candy notes, you’ll be delighted by these, but in our opinion, the older vintage probably just tips the scales as our pick of the 2. It’s that bit more developed and pleasing on the palate.

After this mini tete-a-tete, it was time for a bite to eat in the cavernous cooperage, which today doubles as a marketplace- full of local crafts, cakes and...whisky tablet- a weakness of ours and something that no Islay fan can leave without. We also had a little flutter on how many grains of barley were stored in a 70cl bottle - the prize being a bottle of Laphroaig 10yo. Using science (well, actually a pretty random guesstimate) we thought about 2,150. If anyone has a more scientific idea, get in touch!!

As many of you know, Bruichladdich recently installed a new Lomond still, affectionately known as ‘Ugly Betty’, which has been used to produce their Botanist gin- bumper packed with botanicals, some of which are grown on Islay.

This year the open day team have hired the services of 2 mixologists to play around with both the gin and some of their more cocktail friendly whiskies. The lovely Carmen Operetta from NY developed a fabulous fruity punch, which slipped down a treat and offered a welcome break from the usual peat-covered palate that one usually leaves Bruichladdich with. Check out some of Carmen’s other creations here: http://libationgirl.blogspot.com/

Up at the Vatican (one of Bruichladdich’s several warehouses) Jim McEwan invited 3 singers to accompany his brilliant and -in places, irreverent masterclass, but Caskstrength were booked in for an equally fun tasting hosted by the girls from Bruichladdich’s mainland sales team…Beware Jim – you have some serious competition!

The tag team approach between Natalie and Joanne was a highly refreshing approach to the bog standard tasting format and so was their choice of whiskies- at least 3 exclusive drams, yet to be released. Joanne gave a great insight into the history of the Port Charlotte releases and how they were based on the Lochindaal distillery (including a great insight into Islay funerals, which you can see in our video.)

Here’s our thoughts on the highlights:

Bruichladdich Black Arts – 3^rd Batch – 22yo – 50.7%

Nose: Unmistakable cask influence here (Jim is still tight lipped about the exact cask type, but we reckon either port, Madeira or a mix of both) Rose wine, strawberry jam and candy strawberry sweet, with hints of dried red apple and spices. But the wood has given this a definite over-oaked note.

Palate: Flat cola, cinnamon, more strawberries and jelly fruit sweets.

Finish: The palate is dominated by oak notes, with a hint of the fruit getting a glimpse at the very end.

Overall: Not the best example of heavily wine influenced whiskies, if we’re honest. The cask has really dominated the spirit here and it was our least favourite dram from the tasting. Still if you’re into big bold oak influence, this might just be your thing…

Port Charlotte – PC9 – 9yo - 40ppm – 65.3% (although it will be reduced at bottling)- 6000 bottles, to be released later this year.

Nose: Lovely delicate vanilla, swathes of soft peat, vanilla cheesecake and copper notes. With water, a slightly earthier note comes through with wet sand, freshly turned earth and a hint of some floral lavender.

Palate: Sweet candy, more of the vanilla cheesecake, rich butter, Werther’s Original candy and a salty, earthy but gentle peat, slowly coating the tongue.

Finish: The peat and earth notes give this a very lengthy finish.

Overall: In keeping with the previous PC releases, this one will be a cracker when it is eventually bottled and released. Keep your eyes peeled for an official release date.

Octomore – Special Feis Ile masterclass sample – 159ppm – 2005 (6yo) Unreleased – 63.9%

(Alas, this is presently unscheduled for an official release, but if there is a god, it will see the inside of a bottle at some point soon…)

Nose: Lemon zest, forest floor notes (musty moss) slightly minty, with fresh apricot, carbolic soap and (obviously) masses of very pronounced peat.

Palate: Initially very creamy, with meringues, whipped cream, followed by vanilla ice cream, a blast of sweet peat and a liberal tongue coating of sea salt. It’s PC, exactly as you’d hope it would be. Superb.

Finish: You’ll be tasting this for days.

Overall: The best dram of the day, by some way. Please release it.

Tonight we're off to try a curry, Islay style and no doubt a few more drams. Tomorrow is Caol Ila day, but also 70MPH winds which, if the whisky doesn't, is sure to blow us off our feet...