$ 6.2 Million Isabella's Islay

Isabella’s Islay is Luxury Beverage Company based out of United Kingdom. They are known not only for lavish but creation of the world’s most expensive beverage product with an astonishing cost of about $6.2 million. The Isabella’s Islay whisky is available in two editions

The Isabella origin comes with 8500 diamonds, almost 300 rubies and two bars of white gold all covering an English Crystal decanter and the Very Old Single Malt cask strength Islay whisky inside which is also available in refills.

The company’s also offering the Isabella Special Edition for $740,000 in crystal, white gold, and diamond lettering with the Very Old Single Malt cask strength Islay whisky inside.
Both casks are available for refills as well which of course comes with request. The refill comes in crystal poring flutes. This bespoke whiskey makers also provide the maintenance and repair work
Whew !!

Pool & Whiskies Again - Popular Culture

A classic scene from The Hustler, in which Eddie is taking on the legendary pool player “Minnesota Fats”, contains the following exchange:

Fats: Preach! Go down and get me some White Tavern whisky, a glass, and some ice.

Eddie: Preacher! Go on down and get me some bourbon. J. T. S. Brown. No ice, no glass.

Well I love pool & I love Whisky as well as Whiskey's.

I must have watched The Hustler a least of 25 times. And yes, I play the game well !!!! :)

Enjoy your dram !!

The Angel's Share

During the ageing process, at least 2% of the whisky in each barrel evaporates through the oak. The distilleries refer to this portion as the Angels’ Share. Well, we’ve always known that whisky is a heavenly drink!

The exact amount of whisky lost depends on factors such as temperature and the quality of the cask.
Although 2% may sound like a small amount, at around 50 litres lost per barrel over a ten year maturation period (multiplied by thousands of barrels) it can add up to many hundreds of thousands of litres (and surely some very tipsy angels!). The longer the whisky sits in the barrel, the more is lost by the time bottling finally occurs. A twenty year old whisky, for example, can lose up to 40% of its volume to evaporation.

As you can imagine, the angels’ share represents substantial lost income for the distillers, to the tune of about £1 million per year! As a result, the whisky companies have been experimenting with ways to prevent evaporation without changing the taste of the whisky. Their findings so far? Cling film! Diageo (who own distilleries such as Talisker, Glenkinchie and Lagavulin) have apparently found that wrapping this plastic around the barrels seems to solve the problem, although they are continuing their tests before committing to this.

If they succeed and this becomes standard practice, I predict some very unhappy angels.

But will Diageo succeed? Opinions are divided on the matter. After all, whisky is matured in wooden casks instead of plastic ones for good reasons – the wood removes unpleasant compounds (like sulphur) from the whisky, it adds flavour to the whisky, and its porous nature allows the whisky to interact with the atmosphere which further develops and deepens its flavour. It seems that evaporation is both essential to the making of whisky and one of its most vexing production issues.

Share your dram ...with the angel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tennessee Whiskey

Much American whiskey is indeed Bourbon. So much so that the word Bourbon is often used to describe all whiskey from the States.

But, Bourbon has an important cousin: Tennessee whiskey.

Unlike Bourbon, which can be made anywhere in the States, Tennessee whiskey production is confined to the state of, well, Tennessee. This cousin lives under strict rules.

It is also made in a completely different way.

Like Bourbon, Tennessee whiskey is made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn. However, before being placed into new, charred oak barrels for ageing, Tennessee whiskey undergoes what is known as the Lincoln County Process, which is the official way to say that the whiskey is filtered through a thick layer of sugar-maple charcoal. This filtering stage takes about 10 days to complete.

Why take the extra step? Well, the filtering apparently refines the whiskey’s flavour, giving it a distinctive sweet taste. Plus, it apparently removes further impurities called congeners from the alcohol – these are the wee beasties that are said to contribute to hangovers. Sounds good, although do note that drinking vast quantities of Tennessee whiskey is still likely to leave you feeling a bit sore in the morning!

There are currently only two Tennessee whiskeys in production: Jack Daniels and George Dickel.

Bourbon Whiskey

Bourbon is a type of American whisky. By law, it can be made in any state, although pretty much all production occurs in Kentucky, the only state lucky enough to be allowed to put its name on the label.
The reason for this preferential treatment? Well, when the product is named after one of your counties (Bourbon County, itself named after the French Royal family at the time that the county was established), and as a state you have been influential in the history of the product, it’s only fair that you be allowed some special privileges!

Like with Scotch, there are some official technical requirements that a whiskey must meet in order to be legally labelled Bourbon, the first of which is that the whiskey must be made in the United States. To my mind (which admittedly boggles when confronted with too many technical details, especially when written in legalese), these are the further stipulations that are of interest to whiskey drinkers rather than manufacturers:

• Bourbon is made of grain, and the mixture must be at least 51% corn.
• The product must be entirely natural – in other words, no chemical additives. Yay for organic produce!
• The whiskey must be aged in new charred oak barrels (once used, these are then often passed on to Scottish distilleries). The charring gives the whiskey its colour, so generally, the longer the whiskey has been aged, the darker it will be.
• The bourbon must be aged for a minimum of two years.
• If it is aged for less than four years, makers are required to put the whiskey’s age on the bottle label.

Enjoy your dram !

Whisky or Whiskey ??

I know, I know… you thought you’d left spelling lessons behind when you left school! And you’re probably wondering why you should even give a hoot about how to spell the name of your favourite spirit.

Street cred my friend!!!!!!!! ..... That’s why.

Oh, to be sure, the spelling’s not the most important thing about drinking whisky. After all, you don’t have to pass a spelling test before they let you buy a wee dram at the pub. But, as with so much in life, it’s the small things that count. They add up. God is in the details. Or is that the Devil? Either way, you’re covered.

Besides, the answer to “How do you spell whisk(e)y?” is really simple: Both ways.
But, there is an important distinction between the two. You see, whisky (plural whiskies) shows that the product was made in either Scotland, Wales, Canada or Japan, whereas whiskey (plural whiskeys) shows that it was made in either Ireland or America.

This is the kind of interesting information that you can casually throw into conversation with your friends at the pub. They’ll think you’re a connoisseur. They’ll be impressed. I promise.

As a bonus, here’s another whisky spelling trivia gem for you: Despite what I told you above, the official spelling in America is actually whisky. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms decreed it so in 1968. Some distilleries obeyed. Others clung to tradition. And in the whisky world, tradition is important. Much more important than the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Which is why they had to give in and allow American distilleries to choose which spelling they wanted to use, and why you’ll see examples of both spellings on American labels.

Now go ahead and spell your dram well ....& obvioulsy enjoy it :)

A Few Unlikely Whisky Producers

Scotch appears with the word whisky so often it’s easy to forget not all whisky is created in Scotland. In fact, only whisky created in Scotland may bear the name Scotch, though it has become a drink created all over the world. The consumption in 2010 was 700 million liters. It has gained popularity the world over since its Gaelic origin as “usquebaugh” or “Water of Life” to become the international spirit of choice.

Japan

First produced commercially in 1924, there are now many varieties to choose from. The Japanese tradition is double distilled in pot stills like Scottish whisky, but don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s the same. There is no cask trading, and Japanese whisky is matured in anything from specially charred new oak to Japan’s rare and slow growing oak.

India

There are several varieties of whisky created in India, but only one, Amrut, passes EU regulations so far.

This is what Jim Murray had to say about Amrut ...”Certainly the best non-peated Indian single malt to hit the international market. 61.9%”- Jim Murray Rated 92/100.

Most of the beverages called whisky are actually rum and distilled from fermented molasses, but a few are true whiskies created from malt and other grains. Whisky has become fashionable among the affluent specially in northern india. I live here, i should know :)

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France

French distillers are focused in the area with most Celtic heritage: Brittany. A few are found outside this region and are distilling barley with success. The wine crisis has changed the focus of some to include whisky, especially with new measures that may limit how wine may be created, such as the ban on chaptalisation.

Finland

First distilled in 2001, there are two operational distilleries in Finland with a number of projects that may increase that number. The Scottish methods are used with Finnish malt and water. Recent bans on imports in Denmark, Sweden and Finland were lifted, changing the market, though Finnish whisky is still on the rise.

Pakistan

Murree Brewery has been setting the Islamic republic of Pakistan on its head with news of its first 20 year old malt whisky. It has previously made 8 and 12 year vintages and continues despite shut downs. According to law, it cannot be exported and cannot be consumed by 97% of the populace. However, this ‘Rarest’ whisky maintains its presence amid debate.

Whisky newcomers are using similar techniques and blind taste tests with these brands next to old favourites will probably fool most testers. There are some new flavours due to the ingredients being local, but the

flavour is not sacrificed for the innovations.

Enjoy your dram gentlemen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whisky Glasses

Whisky Glasses: Which Is The Best?

 

GOD !!!!  Some people can get very snobby and picky about how to drink whisky, extending this to the subject of whisky glasses.

Quite frankly, if getting your knickers in a twist over whether you’re using the right glass or the best glass is getting in the way of you enjoying your whisky, then it’s time to just relax. Chill. Drink your whisky out of whatever glass you have available. The people who matter won’t be judging you, and the people who judge you don’t matter.

 

Whisky tumblers

When i first started drinking whisky, i was only aware of whisky tumblers as the so-called official glasses to use. I blame the movies and TV, with their scenes of various moguls and their whisky decanters, ice buckets and tumblers, going through the ritual of pouring themselves a Scotch On The Rocks after a long hard day spent taking over the world.

And indeed, this is where the tumbler comes into its own. It is the perfect glass to use if you are having your whisky with ice, or if you are adding a mixer such as soda, ginger ale or coke.

But it doesn’t only have to be used for that purpose. You can quite happily use tumblers if you are drinking your whisky neat or with a bit of water. I still do it & believe shall continue doing so !

Tulip-shaped whisky glasses

Now.....for the aficionados !!!!!!!!!! we  have some tulip-shaped whisky glasses. We have two types, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s tasting glass, and the Glencairn glass. Although the two differ slightly in shape, the idea is the same – a slightly bulbous base, tapering in at the top.

The point of this shape is to concentrate the aroma of the whisky at your nose, enhancing the tasting experience. It does work. I wouldn’t say the effect is so significant that your life is not complete until you’ve used a tulip-shaped glass to taste your whisky. It’s not. The effect is more subtle than that, but it is certainly there. So by all means use the tulip-shaped glasses whilst enjoying your single malt scotch whiskies on their own, and keep your tumblers for use with mixers or cocktails that require “old-fashioned” glasses.

 Enjoy your Dram !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Single Malt Whisky & Blended Scotch Whisky

Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Blended Scotch Whisky

Any whisky with the word single in its label has been made in one distillery only. A blend, on the other hand, is a mixture of whiskies from different distilleries.

Whiskies from a single source are sold under the name of the distillery that produced them (such as Glenkinchie or Laphroaig), and blended whiskies are sold under brand names (such as Chivas Regal, Dewars or The Famous Grouse).

A malt whisky is made from malted barley only, whereas a grain whisky is made from other cereals, such as wheat or maize. Most grain whiskies are used in blends.

That’s it. Simple, .....................

Enjoy your dram gentlemen.