Shock and Oar: The Glenrothes 'Titanic' Whisky

Whisky is often used to commemorate great achievements, memorable dates and times of celebration. Take, for instance, The Macallan Royal Wedding bottling from last year. Or the John Walker & Sons £100,000 offering to celebrate the Queens Diamond Jubilee (of which I'm sure there will be other bottlings). Even the most mundane of occasions, Queen Of The South FC's 75th Anniversary for example, got its own bottling.

But what do all these events have in common? What is the theme, the thread that holds them all together? Well, all of the events are times of joyous celebration. A time when people gather together to hold street parties, hang bunting and turn their traditional half-and-half from a beer and a dram of Black Label to a glass of champers and single malt. Except for those celebrating QOTS's 75th Anniversary; I hear a deep fried Mars bar and an bottle of Buckfast did the job in Dumfries, that day...

Today is the 100th anniversary of the maiden voyage of the Titanic. I'm sure this fact hasn't escaped any of you, what with the insane amount of TV programmes made about it, as well as the over-hyped, over-advertised new 3D release of Titanic The Movie.

You'd think that the sinking of a ship only four days in to its maiden voyage killing 1,517 and leaving 710 survivors wouldn't be a reason to celebrate. And you'd be correct. However, as with every tragic event such as this, heart-warming stories of courage and bravery spring up like wild flowers in a forgotten weed-ridden garden.

One such story is that of the Countess of Rothes. A passenger on the ship when it stuck the fateful iceberg, she was one of the lucky few to make it into a lifeboat. However, the seamen who were charged with rowing the occupants to safety were weak and unskilled, so the Countess took charge over the vessel, rowing herself and organising the team of women onboard into shifts to keep the boat moving.

A contemporary account at the time from a Dr. Leader says: "The Countess is an expert oarswoman. She practically took command of our boat when it was found that the seamen who had been placed at the oars could not row skilfully. Several of the women took their place with the Countess at the oars and rowed in turns while the weak and unskilled stewards sat quietly in one end of the boat." This action earned the Countess the nickname "Plucky Little Countess".

A grand old lady of the sea, the Titanic was fitted out like a luxury hotel of the time and part of the high standards of this ship would have been the food, wine and spirits served onboard, but part of the ship's job was to transport goods to New York, the final destination for the passengers, crew and cargo. As London's premier supplier of high-end wines and spirits, Berry Bros & Rudd had several cases of wine and whisky purchased from them by wealthy New Yorkers, all of which was lost in the terrible tragedy.

As a result, the owners of the Titanic, White Star Lines, sent a letter to Berry Bros & Rudd detailing the loss of 69 cases of their wines and whiskies (Berry's Best, Berry Bros & Rudd Vatted Malt and Berry Bros & Rudd All Malt were the titles of the whiskies being carried) for insurance purposes which were aboard the liner. The letter, dated April 16th 1912 was sent just 2 days after the disaster.

Since then, something quite remarkable has happened. Due to a series of acquisitions, Berry Bros & Rudd today owns the rights to the single malt whisky Glenrothes, produced in the small Speyside town from where 'The Plucky Little Countess' hailed.

As a tribute to the memory of those onboard the Titanic on that fatefull evening and to remember the heroic efforts by the Countess in Lifeboat No. 8, Berry Bros & Rudd have a released a single cask Glenrothes, limited to 100 bottles only.

Berry's Own Selection / The Glenrothes - Single Cask No. 015190 - 13 Years Old (1998) - 45% abv

"Well matured In Sherry Wood" - this has been in 1st fill Oloroso sherry barrels

Nose: The first thing that comes to the nose is dark chocolate coco powder, followed by leather, apricots and stem ginger. Some toasted oak notes is backed up by freshly Bergamot peel, figs and runny honey.

Palate: A lovely soft sherry influence, with more of the Bergamot, some unsalted, hand churned butter on toasted hot cross buns (mixed dried fruits, baked white bread dough). Burnt sugar and figs (again). Orange creams and Pontefract cake.

Finish: Candied orange rolled in white sugar, some spices, gee and toasted pine nuts.

Overall: A really lovely whisky and a very good example of a Glenrothes. The sherry is not too dominant, leaving enough room for good distillery character to come through.

A fitting tribute to all those who lost their lives on the Titanic, yet a great way to celebrate the small, heroic moments which saved so many lives. This story shows that the Countess of Rothes really was one of the Premier Cru aboard the Titanic.

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...

Irish Eyes

Well, it's been a few weeks since we were there, but our thoughts are still very much on the fun we had in Dublin just before St Patrick's Day. As with last years festivities, we were both on hand during the Jameson Global Broadcast to offer a vaguely English take on Irish whiskey for the assembled DJ's who travelled from across America, Scandinavia, South America and for the first time, India!

However, before the event kicked off, Jameson threw one of their famed Cult Cinema nights to entertain the DJs and this year, the theme was The Blues Brothers. Arriving at a huge warehouse, made to look like the Chicago State Penitentiary, the guests were herded in by surly looking prison guards (and not so surly, as you'll see from these pictures).

Canteen food was served, whilst the legendary film played out on a huge screen, diners flanked by guards with guns. It gave the whole film a new dimension of realism. Then, just when we weren't expecting it- James Brown arrived on stage! (Obviously not THE James Brown but a pretty accurate reproduction named Buck from Texas). From here on in, people were dancing on tables, Jameson cocktails in hand and the strains of Everybody Needs Somebody are probably still echoing around the warehouse today- all in all a superb night!

It was great catching up with our old friend Henry, the John Peel of Boston, proudly residing over the airwaves of WFNX in Boston. Henry knows a few things or two about music (he was probably the first person in America to play U2, Adele and Mumford & Sons) so we had a good catch up about his tips for the future and his choice of St Patrick's Day soundtrack, which you can see below:

Next on the Caskstrength interview trail was a newcomer to the Jameson Global Broadcast- Michelle Patrao from Radio Indigo in Mumbai. Despite the rain, Michelle had some big plans for larging it Dublin style on St Patrick's day.

After meeting so many fantastic people from across the globe, we relaxed with measure of Jameson to discuss the merits of Irish whiskey with Liam Donegan, one of Jameson Distillers, who treated us to this excellent bottling:

Jameson - Select Reserve - Black Barrel - 40% abv

Nose: Obviously Irish, obviously Jameson but this whiskey has come from oak casks which have been heavily charred, giving the nose more punch than normal for a triple distilled offering. Some spices, reduced sugars and red fruit jams are apparent.

Palate: The palate delivers what the nose promises, with the rich red fruits (reduced with sugar in pan) being backed with some creamy notes, toasted wholemeal bread and slowly melting butter.

Finish: Smooth and rich, this whiskey really is a level above.

Overall: Seems as rare as hens teeth, but if you get a chance, grab a taste. Well worth it.

Next on the list was a meeting with Paul Daly. Artist, cocktail bar owner and designer of the new limited release St Patricks Day bottling of Jameson Original, five bottles of which we gave away in our competition in February, it was fantastic to hear from this Hoxton Sq based creative about his Irish background and how he was influecned to create the unique bottling he did, drawing mainly on the concept of updating the classic imagery from the Irish book of Kells.

The Global Broadcast really brings home that on a day like St Patrick's Day, no matter where you are, get the right group of people together in a room and the fun will start to kick off... and clearly, a few drams of Jameson may help to lubricate the whole thing, just to be sure.

Craft Distillers part 3: Eau De Vie De Bier

What do the island of Jura and the Suffolk town of Southwold have in common? One correct answer would be that they were both home at one stage to George Orwell. But that's not the answer I'm looking for.

We all know that the isle of Jura is home to a single malt distillery producing whisky bearing the island's name. But did you know that sleepy Southwold now has its very own distillery, too?

Located in a beautiful part of England right on the far eastern shore, Southwold could not lie further across the British Isles from Jura, yet here you are to find one the newest distilleries in the UK. With a brewing history going back as far as 1345, Southwold is home to the Adnams brewery which has been churning out fine ales since the early 1800's.

Yet in 2010, the clever chaps at the brewery decided that not only should they spend their lives making some of the best real ales around, but that they should knock a huge hole in the end of the brewery and build... yes, you've guessed it, a distillery. And why not. If you're gonna brew, you might as well distil, too.

And so it was that the Copper House Distillery was opened producing gin, vodka and whisky. The current set up at Adnams consists of a 'beer stripping' column, a copper pot still and rectifying columns all made by the same German company who produced the stills for Tuthilltown.

One of the huge advantages of having brewing and distilling on the same site, is the idea of 'grain to glass' and the chaps at Adnams claim to the be the only small batch distillery in the UK to make vodka in this fashion.

But vodka is not what we're after here. No, sir! For beneath the distillery in the old vaults, barrels of whisky are maturing away. Not yet ready for the public, it is certainly going to be exciting when they do release something which they feel comfortable calling English Whisky.

In the mean time however, the Copper House Distillery has released a range of products, from their gin 'First Rate' through to two styles of vodka: 'Longshore', pure vodka and 'North Cove', oak aged vodka (or young whisky, perhaps?!).

Their newest offering is something quite different. One of the brewery's most successful products is an ale called Broadside. Named after the battle to stave off an attack from the Dutch navy in 1672, this beer has become a staple in the nations pubs for a good reason: it's bloody tasty.

Putting two-and-two together and getting 22, the obvious thing to do if you make beer and own a distillery is to stick your beer through the stills... so this is exactly what Adnams have done with a batch of their Broadside ale, distilling it and then aging it in new French oak casks for around a year. The end product? Eau De Vie De Bier, The Spirit Of Broadside.

Genius! If it tastes any good, that is. So let's find out:

Adnams Copper House Distillery - Eau De Vie De Bier - The Spirit of Broadside - 1 Year Old - New European Oak - 43% abv

Nose: The new oak casks give off big whiffs of freshly cut wood, garden chippings after the rain, potting shed and damp felt. Toasted pine nuts backed with vanilla finish off this unusual nose.

Palate: The initial hit is of cardboard, but not in an unpleasent way. This develops in to thyme, some rare roast lamb and mint jelly with an underlying farmyard note... in fact right back to the potting shed / allotment again. It's very strange. The flavours are not easy targets, moving around in a psychedelic manner on the palate.

Finish: BBQ crisps, slight hints of salt and smoke. Rich vanillas at the death.

Overall: Well, if the Speaker of the House can call Queen Elizabeth the 'Kaleidoscope Queen', then this is 'Kaleidoscope Spirit'. Very unusual. Not measurable by the normal proceedures, I can ask only one question: would I drink this at home? The answer: yes, but not on a regular basis. It's a real oddity, but a joy at the same time. If 'normal' whisky is the Beach Boys, this is Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band...

So there we have it. Another wee distillery making whatever the hell they like. And more power to them.

¡Viva la Revolución!

Craft Distillers Part 2 - Balcones

Continuing on from where we left off with the wonderful Hudson craft whiskey, our next virtual visit takes us to Texas and the equally wonderful Balcones. We were fortunate enough to meet up with Balcones founder and chief wizard, Chip Tate at this year's Whisky Live London. Chip was in fine form and in possession of some highly unusual new bottlings, as well as perhaps the most impressive beard in the western hemisphere.

The story of Balcones comes as close to the meaning of 'artisinal distillery' as you can possibly get. Chip begin his distilling exploits back in 2008, after deciding to develop his passion for brewing a step further. But not content with simply learning the craft, Chip decided to hand build all manner of the actual distilling equipment used at Balcones.

Chip is in possession of an unrivalled enthusiasm, especially when it comes to trying out new recipes and innovations. One of the distillery's first major break throughs was working with atole, or blue corn, a cereal, notoriously difficult to produce a decent mash with, due to its density. This 'thick porridge' as Chip calls it is also superbly flavoursome and the recent batches of Balcones Baby Blue corn whisky have redefined the category for many, who found the style of whisky too one dimensional (which, I must confess includes us)

Balcones Baby Blue – Blue Corn Whisky – 46%

Nose: Sweet nutty notes, milk chocolate covered peanuts, burnt caramel and a hint of coffee beans.

Palate: Rich in the mouth, with very sweet - then spicy liquorice notes, milky coffee and salted caramel.

Finish: Lingering sweetness with a touch of poached pear on the death.

Overall: Still unmistakably a corn whisk(e)y, but oozing character, flavour and - emotion. If you have tried corn whisk(e)y before and not really 'got it', give this a whirl and be prepare to have your opinion changed.

Chip was also over to showcase two other particularly unusual whiskies, one of which rather controversially is probably not even a whisky at all, but will give most new craft whiskies a proper run for their money.

Rumble, has been developed by Chip from a localised recipe of Texas wildflower honey, turbinado sugar and mission figs - so you could probably say it is nearer a distilled mead/rum and an Arak than an actual whisky! But pour yourself a glass and wait to be stunned - the complexity of fruit notes, sweet vanilla tones and oak is hard to fathom.

Balcones - Rumble - Cask Reserve bottling - 59%

Nose: A melange of dried fruits: apricot, dates, prunes and rum soaked raisins, mix effortlessly with fresh vanilla pods, muscovado sugar, and some floral, honeyed notes.

Palate: Powerful and dominant to begin with. Needs some water to calm down the fire. Then the fun begins. Almost sherried Speyside in its first approach to the palate- woody spice, masses of dried fruit and then a layer of delicious sweet vanilla. Put this side-by-side with a bunch of aged sherry cask whiskies and it will undoubtedly hold its own... and more. Superb.

Finish: Lingering spice (clove and cinnamon) and more dried fruit.

Overall: A total revelation. Hopefully this will be coming to the UK soon and the rest of Europe. If you happen to be reading this in the US... lucky bastards.

The final dram Chip poured for us is perhaps his most innovative. As smoky whiskies go, the US isn't that well known for producing anything to trouble the likes of Islay and Brimstone certainly doesn't go after that crown. What it does do is redefine how we perhaps think about how to make a whisky smoky. Trade secrets aside, Brimstone is actually a whisky smoked not from the malting stage, but actually in the final stages of its life, using a process of infusion and a pile of Texas scrub oak. The result is unlike any smoky whisky we've ever tried that's for sure - brooding, powerful and unashamedly nuts!

Balcones - Brimstone - 53%

Nose: From the first uncorking of the bottle, your room, clothes, hair and probably eyeballs will be enveloped by smoke - not just any ordinary smoke, but the sort that you find at a barbecue. Braised hickory steaks, charcoal smoke, charred barrels and pepper corns dry frying in a hot pan. Alongside, some sweet corn whisky notes, vanilla and a hint of oaky spice.

Palate: The smoke continues and dominates the whole of the mouth. Don't think medicinal peat smoke, think freshly sawn pine logs, thrown into a roaring fire. Big, bold and terrifyingly SMOKY! The corn notes bring up the rear, but give enough mouthfeel and sweetness to take this away from being one dimensional.

Finish: Have a guess...

Overall: Probably the smokiest spirit in the world. Bang.

Like Tuthilltown and Corsair, Balcones represents the beating heart of the US craft distilling movement and with over 300 working micro distilleries in America and Canada, the future of innovative distillation is in capable (if slightly wacky) hands indeed.