Another new collection added ...The XR - 21 Johnnie Walker

Hi everyone ...

apologies for being missing ........just been a hectic last 6 months on the professional front ..investment banking never ceases to amaze ..:)

well back to scotch ....

was in sri lanka a couple of months back & was pleasantly suprised to know that they make some very good whiskies particularly one named as " Old Keg ".......was one of the smoothest whiskies i have had outside a scotch. A little floral to the palette & well rounded is an apt way of describing this beauty ......its available only in Sri Lanka & not even in the dutyfree so you would have someone want to pick it up from the country itself ...!

Another add on to the collection was the XR Johnnie Walker 21 years



Johnnie Walker XR 21 YO is an exclusive blend inspired by the handwritten
notes of Sir Alexander Walker, the grandson of founder Johnnie Walker.
Sourced from the exclusive reserve of aged casks, including those of the
now silent Brora distillery, the whisky has been allowed to age for
twenty-one years, achieving a smooth, deep blend - the depth and
intensity of aged oak, the subtle notes of vanilla, the sweet hint of golden
honey and a very smooth finish. Each bottle is uniquely numbered and sells
for $105.00 at the mumbai airport dutyfree.........note that this is only sold in duty frees world wide & not in open stores.......have'nt yet had the chance to taste it but will post comments soon once i have ....

Till then as always ...Enjoy that dram :)

$ 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 :)