SPIRIT OF SPEYSIDE WHISKY FESTIVAL

The 2006 Spirit of Speyside Festival kicks off with a packed calendar full of whisky, music, food and fun in malt whisky country. The event runs from April 27 to May 1.

Situated in the heart of Speyside, Glenfarclas – ‘The Spirit of Independence’ - has a feast of events planned to entertain guests.

To kick-start activities on Friday 28 April, Brand Ambassador George Grant, the sixth generation of the Grant family, who own and manage the Glenfarclas Distillery, invites visitors to join him as he shares some secrets of the distillery’s 170-year history. This event will include: -

• Masterclass featuring a selection of Glenfarclas’ oldest Highland Single Malts
• Personal tour of the distillery from George Grant
• Whisky Tasters’ lunch
• Fun 40-question quiz on the distillery and its famous malts
• The chance to win a rare bottle of 40 Years Old Glenfarclas worth £1500

The event lasts from 11:30am until 3:15pm and costs £40 per person.

Glenfarclas will be offering special tours around the distillery, during which guests can see the largest stills on Speyside before enjoying a complimentary dram of multi-award winning Glenfarclas Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky.

The Distillery visitor centre, which is open all year Monday to Friday, will also open on Saturday and Sunday during the Festival. Tours run from 10am – 3.30pm (11am - 3:30pm on Sunday), adult tickets are priced at £3.50 per person and under-18s can visit free.

Transport to and from Glenfarclas is available so there is no need to worry about having that last dram! Special extended transport has been arranged for the duration of the Spirit of Speyside Festival – a £5 day pass buys complete flexibility on the specially provided buses. Bus timetables are available on www.spiritofspeyside.com.

FREE DRAM AND A GOOD READ

Glenfiddich is hosting two events in Glasgow as part of its ‘Glenfiddich in Conversation with…’ author tour.

The tour is a series of free events that feature some of the country’s most talented new authors reading excerpts from their books and having a chat. All those who go along will also be invited to savour the banter over a complimentary taster of Glenfiddich Special Reserve 12 Year Old single malt.

The Glasgow events will take place in the Oran Mor on Great Western Road, on April 18 featuring author Alan Bissett, who will read excerpts from his latest book The Incredible Adam Spark, and in the Blue Dog, George Street, on April 24 with Michael Smith, who will read from his debut novel The Giro Playboy. Both events start at 8 o’clock and entrance is free

GOING FOR GOLD

Whyte & Mackay Master Blender Richard Paterson sets off on a trip that will see him go around the world to Melbourne, to pledge the distiller’s support for Glasgow’s 2014 Commonwealth Games bid.

The award-winning whisky expert is flying into Melbourne for a whistle-stop two days to conduct exclusive whisky sessions with dignitaries from the 71 Commonwealth nations voting panels.

Whyte & Mackay has already shown its support to the bid by producing 800 specially commissioned bottles for the Scottish Commonwealth Games Bid Team to distribute to key delegates from the Commonwealth Games nations in Melbourne.

However spokesman Richard, who will not only act as a representative of Whyte & Mackay, but for Glasgow and Scotland as a whole, is using his particular charm to reinforce the bid.

Working alongside Louise Martin, Chairwoman of the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland, and Lynne McPhee of Glasgow City Council, Richard’s presentation will focus on the friendly and welcoming nature of Scotland and demonstrate the Scots’ pride in their heritage and their country.

He said: "I am very much looking forward to making a personal contribution to Glasgow & Scotland’s bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. We take great pride in Glasgow’s achievements from our sporting traditions to the arts, shipbuilding to Whyte & Mackay scotch whisky"

He added: "I am confident that were the games to be held in Glasgow, visitors would leave with lifelong friends and cherished memories. At Whyte & Mackay we are proud of who we are, where we come from and the kinship we offer; values we share with both the city of Glasgow and the Commonwealth Games."

Richard’s first port-of-call on the tour saw him depart from Glasgow Prestwick Airport to attend a whisky festival in Belgium, where he displayed the bid flag to the thousands of festival attendees. He will then fly to Melbourne to conduct his official Commonwealth duties, then onto the USA before heading back home to Glasgow on April 1 after a whirlwind 16-day trip.

I WANT TO BE FRANK ...

Let's face it, when you've won Whisky Pub of the Year as often as The Pot Still has, there comes a time when you want to do more than just pile the the trophies up behind the bar and let the customers gaze in admiration. Ken Storrie's plan for the latest award, from Whisky Magazine, was to fill it with water and make it a feature of it with the addition of a goldfish called Frank.
Shock horror from the staff forced a rapid change of plan, but with Frank swimming serenely in his wee plastic bag, a Whyte and Mackay ice bucket was pressed into service. The piscine seems quite happy, as are the staff.
We asked Ken why he called the fish Frank and were told something about fish having the same attention span as a certain member of staff, but we weren't sure just who he was talking about!

THE FAMOUS GROUSE 10-YEAR-OLD

FRANK HADDEN WITH THE CALCUTTA CUP

The Famous Grouse has a special offer for rugby fans this weekend. At TFG Experience at Crieff there’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see, touch and be photographed with the Calcutta Cup.

There will be various competitions over the weekend between 10am and 4pm each day – and the chance to try the new-ish 10-year-old blended malt.

The company’s tasting notes are as follows:

Appearance: golden, clear and bright
Aroma: soft, mellow with a ripe orange hint
Taste: soft, mellow oak with chocolate orange
Finish: long, rich and medium sweet

There’s a special offer on at the moment – order a bottle from the distillery at £19.99 plus p&p and get a free tasting glass for every bottle. Just call The Famous Grouse Experience on 01764 657025 or go online to www.thefamousgrouse.com

BARLEY'S DEATH SPELLS END OF AN ERA

Two centuries of tradition at Highland Park on Orkney have been broken with the death of Barley, the distillery cat, as it has been decided by bosses not to find a replacement.

However, staff at the distillery, established in 1896, are already making arrangements so that the last moggie will be able to keep a
watching eye over the Kirkwall site.

Barley, a 15-year-old ginger tom, was a fond favourite with locals and tourists and received a sackful of Christmas presents and cards. He passed away following a road accident this week.

Assistant brand heritage manager Patricia Retson said: "Barley was a real character and there are many tales surrounding his time at the distillery. He was very friendly to tourists, but this warmth did not extend to dogs - he was renowned for terrorising the former distillery manager's hound, which once had to be carried from the distillery, as he was too frightened to move.

"His favourite spot was on top of the money till in the Highland Park shop, and many tourists thought he was a toy, so they got quite a shock when they touched him on the back."

Always a great companion, in particular to the production operators on night shift, Barley was the last in a line of generations of distillery cats at Highland Park - his predecessor was Malt and before that the resident cat was Peat.

All of the cats were named by workers to reflect key ingredients that go into making "the best spirit in the world."

"As a mark of respect to three of the most recent cats at Highland Park, we have plans to commission a local artist to make a statue which will be displayed in the courtyard, as they will always be part of the distillery's heritage," added Patricia.

"But we have decided not to replace Barley due to health and safety regulations, though we are sure such a 'feline friend' will be sadly missed by visitors. The decision was not taken lightly as it is two hundred years of tradition that will be broken."

DISTILLER OF THE YEAR

Glenfarclas has been named Distiller of the Year at the whisky industry’s Icons of Whisky dinner.

The award, now in its fourth year, was organised by Whisky Magazine and announced at an industry dinner held on the eve of Whisky Live in London. The prestigious award was presented to the company that has shown the most commitment to the development of whisky at all levels.

The magazine selected a shortlist, which included nominations from across the world. The list included Chivas Brothers, Diageo, Glenrothes, Inver House and Nikka, as well as Glenfarclas.

Key personnel from within the industry were invited to vote for the company they thought most deserved the award. Glenfarclas scooped it 'for being consistently good and staying true to its core values'.

Commenting on the win George Grant, Brand Ambassador for Glenfarclas said: “I am delighted. Having produced our whisky for over 170 years, we are not a new kid on the block and it is fantastic that those within the industry recognise that we have continued to produce consistently good quality whisky.”

www.glenfarclas.co.uk

THE PEAT CUTTER THE UNEXPLODED BOMB AND THE SEA-SICK BARLEY

It was a night that will be spoken about as long as like-minded souls gather for a dram. Glasgow’s Whisky Club’s first tasting of 2006 was a memorable event. From tall tales to ice cream toddies, it was an evening that crackled with surprises, laughs and of course, some of the finest drams we’ve yet tasted.

Ably led by Gerry Tosh, HP’s Brands Ambassador, club members were taken on a tour of arguably Orkney’s finest export, taking in along the way, a history lesson, a geography lesson, a chemistry lesson and a social commentary on the Orcadians and their unique way of life.

We heard of Cyril, the distillery peat cutter since he was seven, banging the hell out of a heavy metal object on the peat field at Hobbister Hill … only to discover it was an unexploded bomb! And we were left wondering if Gerry Tosh was a spinner of yarns when he told the story of the malted barley, which gets such rough treatment on the ferries bringing it across the storm-tossed Pentland Firth, that it needs to lie down quietly for three weeks before it has settled enough to be used!

Those who were there will need little reminding of the quality of the drams tasted, but for those who couldn’t make it, the offerings were the 12YO, 15, 18, 25, and 30, with a single cask laid down in 1991 and destined for the Swiss market. Only 494 bottles were produced. It was drawn from the cask last week and was dark with hints of brine and chocolate. ABV was 56%.

For many the highlight of the night – and the feature that reflects the fun and informal nature of our whisky tastings – was the incomparable pairing of 25-year-old Highland Park and a loving spoonful of Mackie’s finest Scottish ice cream. A few purists raised their eyebrows when this concoction was produced, but changed their minds when the ice cream wrapped itself around the malt in a delivery system that perfectly married the vanilla ice cream with the soft and sweet taste of the malt. Chust sublime, as Dougie would say!

And as Gerry and the rest of us said at the end of the evening: Skol!!!

Stop Press: On Friday, March 3, at Whisky Live! in London. Ken Storrie and his team learned the Pot Still had been named Whisky Magazine's Whisky Bar of the Year. Yet another accolade, and yet again, well deserved.

toshie

http://www.highlandpark.co.uk

HIGHLAND PARK TASTING

A full report of the proceedings will appear in Still Life as soon as work and hangovers permit. In the meantime, one of my colleagues at work has a selection of whiskies he's selling off. No prices as he's not sure what they're worth, but if anyone's interested, let me know and I'll pass on your details.

Johnnie Walker Gold Label 18YO
Chivas Regal Royal Salute 21YO
Dunhill Hyperion (De Luxe blend)
Black Bottle 15YO
The Famous Grouse 'Bill McLaren' Rugby Special Edition RRP £85
Glengoyne 21YO RRP £49.99
Dimple 43%
Glenrothes 12YO Vintage
Lancelot 12YO (50cl)
Cutty Sark 25YO RRP £105

slainte mhath
toshie

MARKS OUT OF TEN PLEASE

THERE'S a bit of excitement across the water on Arran where the young distillery’s 10-year-old single malt will be in the shops in the next few weeks. Managing Director Douglas Davidson said: "They say that the best things in life come to those who wait. If that is true, then we are indeed fortunate." He said there’d been a ‘hugely positive response’ to the new baby from European distributors, with encouraging forward orders from Canada and the USA. Price has still to be settled but Royal Mile Whiskies are offering a 10^th Anniversary Decanter for £80.95. The whisky is non-chill filtered, bottled at 46%, and the decanter is limited to 1200 bottles.

Arran is keen to get involved with Glasgow's Whisky Club and has offered to host a tasting for us in Glasgow.Usually this involves something from the Robert Burns collection, the Arran 7 and now the 10, along with two cash strength expressions, often one from a sherry cask, and the new cask finished in a red wine barrel, in this case the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.
One or two like-minded souls are keen to make a day of it and head over to Arran for a tour round the distillery and a tasting there. It would be an all-day outing, but absolutely do-able. Your committee will take some soundings and keep you in touch.

Meanwhile, Ian Macleod Distillers, parent group of our principal sponsor Glengoyne, has just launched a whisky aimed, it says, at the modern drinker. Smokehead is an unashamed in-your-face dram, which the company describes as ‘a cannonball’!

“Unlike some contemporary whisky brands that have appeared recently on the market, Smokehead is not a subtle flavour,” said Iain Weir, Head of Marketing. “It is a heavily peated Islay single malt scotch whisky of the highest quality.”

It’s described as an explosive rollercoaster of peat, smoke and spice with some delicate sweetness. The single malt flavour is said to be fresh, fruity and immense, with notes of sherry, iodine, toffee, smoke and sea salt. The taste hits the palate at once with cocoa, peat and some honey sweetness, before exploding with peppery spice and more earthy peat.

The launch is being supported by a full sales and marketing programme which will include its own website ­ at http://www.smokehead.co.uk/

It's available at a shade under £20

Elsewhere, if you’re a fan of Bowmore, Auchentoshan and Glen Garioch, you can now purchase them online. The company’s new shop has just opened, within it you will find a full range of malts as well as a wide selection of gifts and merchandise, all at competitive prices.

New site features in the future will include on-line booking and reservations for the company’s new Bowmore Distillery Holiday Cottages (check out the distillery cottage link on the Bowmore website), Bowmore and Glen Garioch films, image download library, and special promotions for Bowmore, Auchentoshan and Glen Garioch.

AND FINALY ... Just over a week to go before the Highland Park tasting and as you know from Alex, it’s a sell-out. We’ve managed to squeeze in an extra couple of souls, but we may have to give consideration to other, slightly larger venues for future ‘signature tastings’.

Slainte Mhath
toshie

I LOVE A LADDIE

A new Islay company has produced the first ever soap to be made from both whisky and its oak cask.

Ailsa Hayes of The Spirited Soap Company, a pharmaceutical research chemist, uses alcohol to make clear soap for the single malt fan who simply cannot get enough.

She said: “Since alcohol comes from distilleries - and there are 7½ malt whisky distilleries on Islay - it made sense to use whisky instead of industrial alcohol.”

“Girly perfumes are all very well but I wanted one that captured the very essence of whisky-making. And that’s where the cask came in.”

Commissioned by the Bruichladdich distillery, The Malt Bar is scented by whisky-drenched, oak shavings taken from the inside of a Bruichladdich cask.

Ailsa added: “Oak staves that have been marinated in whisky for decades smell awesome - but unless you’re a cooper or distiller you will never have experienced it.”

“It’s a sweet, toasted-oak smell; like a cross between a cigar box, carpenter’s workshop, hayloft and coal-tar all at once. You won’t sell like an alcoholic.”

During the barrel-making process casks are charred on the inside. These shavings give the soap an unusual translucent, black colour.

“It looks butch, smells manly and is very metro-sexual, said Ailsa.

Pass the soap!!

The Spirited Soap Company:

http://www.spiritedsoaps.co.uk

http://www.bruichladdich.com

STILL THE SAME

Picture: Martin Shields. Courtesy of Evening Times, Glasgow

Glengoyne has just invested £100,000 on two brand-new stills.

After 20 years in production, the trusty copper stills had lost their seven millimetres thick coatings as the whisky-making process gradually stripped them of their density.

To ensure the new stills produce a genuine Glengoyne dram, the bashes and bruises of the old ones have been painstakingly recreated.

The distillery was closed at the beginning of the year to allow the stills to be shoehorned into the building.

Made by Abercrombie in Stirlingshire, they stand over ten feet.

Incidentally, Glengoyne could soon be the picturesque setting for BBC Scotland's comedy, Still Game. The producers have approached the distillery to shoot an episode at the Dumgoyne plant, featuring Jack and Victor .

GLENGOYNE GETS A MAKEOVER

The Whisky Wall at Glengoyne Distillery

Glengoyne is embarking a complete makeover for the distillery that should make it one of the most varied and comprehensive distillery experience ever.

The work, which is expected to be completed by May, will see the existing manager’s house transformed into a brand new venue offering a state-of-the-art sampling room, impressive Club Room and fully-equipped meeting room.

The Sample Room will be spectacular in its design. Each wall will be lined with an array of sample bottles containing whiskies at different stages of maturation from Glengoyne’s many thousands of casks. There will also be the opportunity for visitors to create their own unique blend of whisky, under the watchful eye of the sample room blender.

The Club Room, which will be decorated using hand-printed furnishings from designers Timorous Beasties, will offer a place for tour visitors to relax, drink in their surroundings and learn more about the award-winning malt.

The Meeting Room will offer facilities for up to 24 people and will be aimed at companies (or clubs!!) looking for an unusual venue for meetings or presentations.

It is likely that as part of the distillery developments a new menu of tours will also be launched later in the year. These are expected to include a cask-tasting tour and, says the distillery, 'the most hands on and in-depth distillery tour in the history of the industry'.

Glengoyne is also to increase its output by 130,000 to 840,000 litres. This means that output has doubled since Ian Macleod acquired the distillery in April 2003.

We should perhaps pencil in June or thereabouts for a club outing!

For further information contact Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd on tel: 01506 852205 or www.glengoyne.com

A TOAST: GLASGOW'S WHISKY CLUB

Well, we made it. Almost two years after a small gathering of like-minded souls had the idea for Glasgow’s first – and only – whisky club, last night we formally launched Glasgow’s Whisky Club. The venue was the Pot Still, spiritual home for many of us, and the site of a number of fascinating tastings in the year ahead.
A score of folk turned out for one of the best-attended meetings in our short life. Alex Robertson, the man behind the club, said he was heartened by the response and welcomed well-kent faces as well as new blood.
He added: “When we started in 2004 with a handful of people, our intention was to dispel the mystery surrounding whisky and remove the stuffiness of formal tastings. We wanted an informal club and we’ve come a long way towards that goal.”
Alex paid tribute to our sponsors and supporters – Glengoyne who supplied the 10-year-old in our welcome packs – and the Edrington Group for its Highland Park 18 miniature. He also thanked Ken Storrie at the Pot Still for his encouragement. On club nights Ken has offered a discount on everything from the gantry and taps on production of membership cards.
As part of our ongoing association with Glengoyne, the distillery is offering generous discounts on its products when ordered through the club. We’ll work out the details about taking orders in the very near future.
Edrington is offering good deals on distillery visits, and again we’ll sit down and work out the details.
Alex will send out e-mails and/or letters to members who may want to get involved in our committee. At the moment we have four people doing the organising – Alex, Bill Mackintosh, Ken Seaton and Andy Clark. All four are happy to continue, but if others want to join in, please let Alex or Bill know.
We are currently talking with one of the Glasgow-based newspapers about running a monthly tasting column, and we’ll need a tasting panel to meet on a fairly regular basis to get that up and running. More details will follow.
Our first tasting is booked for March 1, when Gerry Tosh, Highland Park Brand Ambassador, will take us through a selection of expressions. Numbers will be limited, so please book your place as soon as possible.
Subsequent tastings include Bill Lumsden, Master Distiller at Glenmorangie, and Andy Forrester of Jon Mark and Robbo’s Easy Drinking Whisky Company. Expect ‘an off-the-wall’ evening for that one!
We’re keen to get out and about and there is a provisional Islay trip early in May. That’s still being finalised, but the price looks attractive. More details as and when…
Arran has also been mentioned as a possibility and that probably would be do-able on a day trip.
Our website is currently under construction at www.glasgowswhiskyclub.com, but our online newsletter www.glasgowswhiskyclub.blogspot.com will be updated regularly.
Please flood us with ideas, requests, demands: it’s YOUR whisky club and we want us all to enjoy the year ahead.
Slainte Mhath!
Bill Mackintosh

MAKE A DATE

The 2nd Festival of Whisky takes place in the city between January 23 and 28.

For the first time it will include four ‘Speed Tasting’ events, which will take place at various bars in town. In a complete break with tradition, the Festival will capitalise on the popularity of the speed-dating craze to introduce whisky to new Scottish consumers who may never have thought of trying it before.

Organiser Susan Young of Media World Ltd said: “We did a similar event in Edinburgh in November, and it proved a huge success. People got to try out new whiskies and also got to meet new friends too.

“The idea is to encourage people to try a whisky they might not otherwise have done, with a brief five-minute commentary from whisky experts, before moving onto the next whisky. It’s strictly controlled, being more of a tasting session than a drinking session.”

The festival also includes whisky tutored tastings and sampling events. Says Young: “The whole ethos behind the festival is to get people to try whisky. And allow them to find out more about particular brands they like.”

Brands taking part include Auchentoshan, Aberfeldy 1988, Benromach, Bowmore, Caol Ila, Dalmore, Glen Garioch, the Glenrothes, Highland Park, Isle of Jura, Johnny Walker, Talisker and Whyte and Mackay. Events are free and open to members of the public over 18.

For those who are smitten and want to take things a little further there will also be a number of organised follow up first ‘dates’ - where things will move a little slower and consumers can get to know their whisky of choice better through a tutored tasting.

These will take place after the speed dates in bars including the Bon Accord, Lismore, the Doublet, Ben Nevis, Uisge Beatha, Pot Still, Campus and Metropolitan.

VENUE EVENT TIME

Monday 23rd January Repertoire: Whisky Speed Dating (all brands) 5.30 ­ 7pm
Bon Accord: Johnnie Walker, Caol Illa, Talisker TT 8.15pm
the Lismore: Highland Park SE 8.15pm

Tuesday 24th January Bastille Taverne: Whisky Speed Dating (all brands) 5.30 ­ 7pm
The Doublet Isle of Jura TT 8.15pm
The Butterfly & the Pig: Bowmore SE 8.15pm

Wednesday 25th January Moskito: Whisky Speed Dating (all brands) 5.30 ­ 7pm
The Ben Nevis: Highland Park TT 8.15pm
Uisge Beatha: Benromach, Aberfeldy 1988, Glenrothes TT 8.15pm
The Lismore: Johnnie Walker, Caol Illa, Talisker SE 8.15pm

Thursday 26th January The Butterfly & the Pig Whisky Speed Dating (all brands) 5.30 ­ 7pm
The Pot Still: Bowmore TT 8.15pm
Campus: Isle of Jura SE 8.15pm

Saturday 28th January
Oran Mor: Whisky Speed Dating (all brands) 3.00 ­ 5pm
Repertoire: Highland Park TT 6pm
The Metropolitan: Benromach, Aberfeldy 1988, Glenrothes SE 8.15pm

TT = tutored tasting
SE = sampling exercise

THE FAMOUS GROUSE SCOTTISH OAK

Still puzzling about a pressie for a pal? There’s a stunning limited edition of just 7092 bottles from The Famous Grouse, available exclusively online and from Glenturret Distillery, Crieff, Perthshire, while stocks last.

TFG says the taste and finish are astonishing. It is creamy with a lovely round, soft mouth-feel and long, rich sweet finish. If you love The Famous Grouse you’ll recognise the Speyside fruitiness, but here it has somehow been enhanced and topped with vanilla.

The secret is in the cask - it's Scottish Oak, rather than European or American Oak that is typically used for maturing whisky.

Should you buy a bottle, priced £30, TFG will present you with a small piece of the Scottish Oak marrying cask that created it. Inscribed with your name, that little piece of history will also serve as a lifetime ticket to The Famous Grouse Experience at Glenturret Distillery.

http://www.thefamousgrouse.com

IF YOU LIKE THAT, YOU'LL LIKE THIS TOO

"If I like a particular malt whisky, what other whiskies
might I also enjoy?"

Many people setting off on what may be a lifetime's journey of whisky exploration are puzzled by the different flavours and characteristics of whisky - particularly single malts - and wonder what a particular dram tastes like. Beginners may turn their noses up (literally) at a pungent Laphroig or Talisker and only come back to those Island drams much later on.

We're indebted, therefore to David Wishart, whose book, Whisky Classified: Choosing Single Malts by Flavour, can help not only those taking the first steps, but also more experienced imbibers. The classification system is reproduced here, by kind permission of David.

In essence what he and his researchers did was take the tasting notes from 10 whisky books published in the late 90s, along with the notes from the distillers. That produced 86 single malt whiskies, which Wishart called benchmark malts and excluded rare and premium brands that were specially aged, cask conditioned or finished. They also decided not to cover distilleries that had been demolished or are not currently in production.

A vocabulary of 500 aromatic and taste descriptors was compiled and were grouped into 12 broad aromatic features: Body (Light-Heavy), Sweetness (Dry-Sweet), Smoky (Peaty), Medicinal (Salty), Feinty (Sulphury), Honey (Vanilla), Spicy (Woody), Winey (Sherry), Nutty (Oaky-Creamy), Malty (Cerealy), Fruity (Estery) and Floral (Herbal).

Thereafter the results were fed into a computer program which pumped out 10 clusters of single malt whiskies. All the technical stuff is here: http://www.whiskyclassified.com/classification.html

Classification of Single Malt Whiskies

Cluster A ( Full-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, Pronounced Sherry with Fruity, Spicy, Malty Notes and Nutty, Smoky Hints): Balmenach, Dailuaine, Dalmore, Glendronach, Macallan, Mortlach, Royal Lochnagar;

Cluster B ( Medium-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, with Nutty, Malty, Floral, Honey and Fruity Notes): Aberfeldy, Aberlour, Ben Nevis, Benrinnes, Benromach, Blair Athol, Cragganmore, Edradour, Glenfarclas, Glenturret, Knockando, Longmorn, Scapa, Strathisla;

Cluster C (Medium-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, with Fruity, Floral, Honey, Malty Notes and Spicy Hints ): Balvenie, Benriach, Dalwhinnie, Glendullan, Glen Elgin, Glenlivet, Glen Ord, Linkwood, Royal Brackla;

Cluster D (Light, Medium-Sweet, Low or No Peat, with Fruity, Floral, Malty Notes and Nutty Hints ): An Cnoc, Auchentoshan, Aultmore, Cardhu, Glengoyne, Glen Grant, Mannochmore, Speyside, Tamdhu, Tobermory;

Cluster E (Light, Medium-Sweet, Low Peat, with Floral, Malty Notes and Fruity, Spicy, Honey Hints ): Bladnoch, Bunnahabhain, Glenallachie, Glenkinchie, Glenlossie, Glen Moray, Inchgower, Inchmurrin, Tomintoul;

Cluster F (Medium-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, Low Peat, Malty Notes and Sherry, Honey, Spicy Hints ): Ardmore, Auchroisk, Bushmills, Deanston, Glen Deveron, Glen Keith, Glenrothes, Old Fettercairn, Tomatin, Tormore, Tullibardine;

Cluster G (Medium-Bodied, Sweet, Low Peat and Floral Notes ): Arran, Dufftown, Glenfiddich, Glen Spey, Miltonduff, Speyburn;

Cluster H (Medium-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, with Smoky, Fruity, Spicy Notes and Floral, Nutty Hints ): Balblair, Craigellachie, Glen Garioch, Glenmorangie, Oban, Old Pulteney, Strathmill, Tamnavulin, Teaninch;

Cluster I (Medium-Light, Dry, with Smoky, Spicy, Honey Notes and Nutty, Floral Hints): Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Glen Scotia, Highland Park, Isle of Jura, Springbank;

Cluster J (Full-Bodied, Dry, Pungent, Peaty and Medicinal, with Spicy, Feinty Notes): Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Clynelish, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Talisker.

Whisky Classified: Choosing Single Malts by Flavour, David Wishart, Pavilion Books, London 2002.

Sorry it's such a long post, but it seems to answer a lot of questions. And next time you're buying in the Pot Still, mine's a large Cluster J, thanks very much!

STILLMEN DOMINATE AWARDS

The unrivalled expertise of the Glengoyne Stillmen was confirmed with their personally-chosen Single Malts taking the lead in a host of awards bestowed on the distillery in this year’s Malt Maniacs Awards in Edinburgh.

With more than 100 bottles entered into the Malt Maniacs competition, Glengoyne was certainly the big winner of 2005. The distillery took away two awards and seven medals including, two Gold Medals, three Silver Medals and two Bronze.

Ewan’s Choice, the 19 Years Old Single Malt selected by Stillman Ewan Hendry as his personal favourite, won not only a Gold Award, but was also the winner of the Highlands Award of Excellence. Judges commented that it would also have received the Top Sherry Cask Award, if the rules hadn’t prevented the same malt from winning more than one award.

The Glengoyne 22 Years Old, which was Stillman Ronnie Palmer’s personal choice, also impressed the judges. Winning the Top Bourbon Cask Award and a Silver Medal, it was described as a bit of a closet ‘sherry monster’ by the judges.

Not to be outdone, Duncan McNicoll, the longest serving Glengoyne Stillman at 27 years, was proud to hear that Duncan’s Choice, the Glengoyne 15 Years Old also received a Gold Medal. Judges described it as ‘Very complex but balanced … with a delicate palate!’

Stuart Hendry, Glengoyne Brand Heritage and Commercial Manager said: “We are delighted. No one knows Glengoyne’s Single Malts better than the men who create them and it is fantastic for us to have the quality of our malts and the excellent taste and hard work of our Stillmen recognised.”

The three bottlings will be available through specialist retailers worldwide. Stuart Hendry said: “They were intended to be exclusive to the Glengoyne Distillery shop but after we swept the board we felt it unfair to keep them all to ourselves!"

Recommended UK retail prices are Duncan’s Choice £80, Ewan’s Choice £100 and Ronnie’s Choice £120.

Other Glengoyne Single Malts to receive accolade were the Glengoyne 15 Years Old Scottish Oak Wood Finish, Glengoyne 19 Years, Glengoyne 32 Years and the Glengoyne 37 Years Old Single Limited Edition Casks.

If you're keen on any or all of the Stillemen's Choices, here are their tasting notes.

They are all unchill-filtered, natural colour, cask strength and individually numbered, limited edition single cask bottlings:

Duncan’s Choice
Aged: 15 years
Description: dark walnut colour, and fruity sweet, sherry-oak taste
Wood Type: Sherry Hogshead
Cask No: 1204
Bottle No: 1/350
Strength: 70cl 55.7% vol.
Distillation Date: 4th July 1989
Bottling Date: May 2005
Approved by Duncan McNicoll

Ewan’s Choice
Aged: 19 years
Description: dark and rich, with sweet Christmas pudding aromas
Wood Type: Sherry Puncheon
Cask No: 441
Bottle No: 1/600
Strength: 70cl 51.5% vol.
Distillation Date: 13th April 1986
Bottling Date: May 2005
Approved by Ewan Hendry

Ronnie’s Choice
Aged: 22 years
Description: hints of vanilla and coconut
Wood Type: Bourbon Barrel
Cask No: 449
Bottle No: 1/200
Strength: 70cl 53.6% vol.
Distillation Date: 23rd December 1982
Bottling Date: May 2005
Approved by Ronnie Palmer

For further information contact Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd on tel: 01506 852205 or www.glengoyne.com

See also www.maltmaniacs.com

TALKING TOSH

Three of your clubsters talked their way into the Macallan/Highland Park tasting treat in Glasgow on St Andrew's Eve.

With an eye on future events - and please watch this space very carefully for an absolutely stonking announcement - Andy, Ken and Toshie (pictured with Highland Park's Gerry Tosh in the light suit) schmoozed their way round the canapes, oysters and little bits of biscuits with dark things on the top.

The first surprise was the offer of a 'long dram' - Highland Park 18 over ice with ginger beer, lime juice and a slice of lime. I can see the purists shuddering, but this is an astonishingly refreshing drink and if the Edrington gang are happy to see their malts taken this way, who are we to argue?

After a short welcome from Ken Grier, Director of Malts from the Edrington Group, Gerry Tosh, the Global Brand Ambassador for Highland Park, took us through the intricacies of tasting, turning the glass, watching the legs, nosing and finally the tasting.

This was no stuffed-shirt session; this was an enjoyment of Highland Park at its glorious best done with panache and humour. The main part of the evening was simply a relaxing chat with people who share the love of a dram (sounds like a slogan).

I spent most of the evening ensconced at the Highland Park table, while Ken and Andy shuttled between HP and Macallan. I was honoured when Gerry opened the bottle of 16 YO that had only been on the market for three weeks, and which is duty free only.

It is a light, citrus taste with pear drops on the tongue, followed by that traditonal HP effect - dry mouth, then a sudden swoosh of flavour as it comes back to dance on the tongue.

The 25YO and the 30 were absolutes giants - but gentle giants - the 30 reminding me of Terry's Chocolate Orange , only much, much nicer.

Highlight of the night for me was Gerry's HP25 and ice cream combo - a concept that sounds so ridiculous but which works beyond all expectations. Take one spoonful of vanilla ice cream, (Gerry suggests Haagen Dazs, but any good ice cream will do) down it and immediately follow with a generous sip of HP. The taste sensation is quite extraordinary. Please do try this at home.

My overall impression of the night was that the Edrington people obviously respect and indeed revere their products, but firmly believe they are there to be enjoyed. Whether it's a dram you take straight, or with ice, ginger, or scoopfuls of ice cream, the message is the same - it's your dram; have it as you like it.

Bill Mackintosh

CHRISTMAS WITH GLENGOYNE

Looking for a present with a difference that you know will be appreciated this Christmas? Glengoyne might have the answer with a personalised bottle of its award-winning Single Highland Malt Scotch whisky.

With a personal label on the bottle of Glengoyne 10 Years Old, 17 Years Old, 21 years old or the 29 Years Old Family Reserve, you can create your very own message. This is one present you know won't be consigned to the back of the cupboard.

Fiona Richardson, Retail Manager at Glengoyne Distillery, said: "We are delighted how popular the individual personalised bottles have proved since we launched them last year. Demand is already very high and we are certain this will grow as we get closer to Christmas."

Prices are £29 for the 10-years-old, £40.99 for the 17-years-old, £51.99 for the 21-years-old and £150 for the 29-years-old.

To order call Fiona Richardson at Glengoyne Distillery on 01360 550 254 or visit www.glengoyne.com to order online.

And while we're on the subject of Christmas ...

Whisky connoisseurs looking to get their hands on a very impressive and extremely rare single malt can now purchase Macleod¹s Extremely Rare Glen Grant 1954 Over 50 Years.

Only 100 bottles of this prestigious single malt will be available worldwide and each will come presented in a beautiful, American solid oak wooden box, the interior of which is lined in Macleod Hunting Ancient tartan. Each box also has an individually engraved and numbered gold plate and hand carved Macleod coat of arms on the outside.

This truly special malt will make an outstanding gift or collector¹s item as it is presented in a branded gift box and each individual bottle has been numbered from 1 to 100 and each has an individually numbered neck tag too.

Also included in the gift box will be a certificate of authenticity, tasting notes prepared by our Rare Malt Manager and an exclusive invitation to taste the whisky. This is a great bonus for customers who want to sample the malt but are reluctant to open their own special bottle.

Iain Weir, Head of Marketing for Ian Macleod Distillers, whose portfolio includes Glengoyne, said: "We think this is a fantastic addition to our portfolio, the rarest of the rare, and we are confident that the 100 bottles are going to get snapped up very quickly. In fact we have already taken orders."

UK minimum RRP will be £2000.