Advent Season Things

On 3 Dec. I played bagpipes and talked about Scotch whisky. Aberfeldy 12, Oban 14, Bunnahabhain 12, and Laphroaig Quarter Cask. It was a fun evening and fun to share my experiences with Scotch whisky especially from Islay. We went to see Robert Robinson at the Dakota. He was with Sam Reeves on piano. Brilliant! Sam is brilliant. Robert is brilliant. Great evening. Colder than a well diggers arse.

At 3 pm we drove to St. John's in the Wilderness for Nine Lessons and Carols. Absolutely beautiful!

Friday is our party. The solstice party for 2009. I think I deserve a bottle or two of expensive Scotch whisky to celebrate my 60th birthday. Port Ellen? Caol Ila? Laphroig 30? Ardbeg?

Islay 2009, Feis Ile

Scotland. The Inner Hebrides islands of Islay and Jura are destinations of an annual pilgrimage of whisky drinkers, collectors, and connoisseurs. There are 9 distilleries on the two islands; Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Jura, Kilchoman, Laphroaig, Lagavulin. For lovers of Scotch whisky with iodine, salt, peat, and smoke, this area is heaven on earth. I will be describing my experiences of drinking whisky for 16 days in May and June 2009.

Scotch Whisky Things

Here is the results from a tasting that happened a last year. I must confess I am particular to islay Scotches. Three stars is the highest.

** Bruichladdich 14 yrs - Islay single malt, bourbon cask and finished in a sherry cask, great nose with vanilla, dried fruit. Finish is long with beautiful legs.
*** Bruichladdich - 32 yrs (1970)- Islay single malt, 100% bourbon cask, viscous with beautiful legs, pear and vanilla notes, slight taste of salt in the front, smoky peat in the aftertaste. A superb dram!!
** Glen Moray, Serendipity - Highland single malt, smoky and lemony
** Ardbeg Uigeadail, Islay single malt, cask strength, distilled in the 1990's, Scottish edition, sherry notes, smoky, 108.4, phenolic peat characteristics, toasty
**3/4 Laphroaig 10 yr., Islay single malt, cask strength, bourbon cask sweetness (Maker's Mark bourbon casks), astringent long finish.
** Bruichladdich, Infinity, Islay single malt, caramel notes, fiery nose with smoke and peat
** Glenmorangie Ardbeg, Islay single malt, 1st fill casks, very young, sassy, peppery
*** Ardbeg 1976, Islay single malt, smooth, bottled 2004. This is a perfect whisky with all the characteristics you love in an Islay single malt. YUM YUM YUM!!!!
*** Port Ellen, Islay single malt, distillery closed in 1983, Diageo releases bottlings every now and then, this is one of the great single malts of the island of Islay. YUM YUM YUM!!!!!

There you go. My memory is slightly hazy about the tasting but somethings are never forgotten i.e. a lovely kiss, a memorable moment in ones life, and a memorable single malt.

Feis Things

Well, I am getting closer to putting all the pieces for the Islay trip together. Bowmore Distillery emailed back with the times for our tours and tastings. We are now booked on tours, tastings, lodgings, and airlines. I need to hire a car and obtain my ferry tickets from Kennecraig to Port Askaig and back. John will be handling another set off tours between 31 May and 3 June.

Here is the schedule for the Islay Feis:
http://islayfestival.org//activate.php?name=Sebastiaan69&sess=3e2dd58790c152024e55bb3e462b07f3

We will be visiting Kilchoman, Lagavulin, Bruichladdich, Caol Ila, Laphroaig, Bowmore, Jura, Bunnahabhain, Ardbeg distlleries. A distillery a day for 9 days. Perhaps a few more when we return to the mainland.