Photo Credit: Nature – Dilution of Whisky – The Molecular Perspective

Have you ever wondered why your whisky tastes and smells better after you add a little water? It’s because of this hardcore molecule, guaiacol, an aromatic alcohol, which is a fancy way of saying it makes the whisky smell and taste delicious. See that hexagon with the lines on the inside? That’s a phenol compound. That’s literally what we taste and smell. Mmm mmm good! The crux of the Nature article which explains this process is that at cask strength the guaiacol is trapped at the bottom of our whisky glass beneath a layer of ethanol. This means we won’t be able to smell or taste it as much. However, by adding water into our whisky glass and diluting the whisky to around 27 abv it breaks apart that ethanol layer allowing the guaiacol to rise to the surface thus allowing our tastebuds and ol factory sensors to really take in the whisky’s full experience! Therefore, for a 40 abv dram add about a teaspoon of water to dilute it by around a fourth, and for a cask strength dram add a solid one and a half tea spoons to a full tablespoon of water. Sniff, sip and enjoy! Slàinte!

Here’s the full article which explains the process in detail:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-06423-5

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Photo Credit: http://www.marketing-schools.org

I was genuinely conflicted as to whether I would drink Japanese whiskey unless a Supreme Court ruling was changed. The Economist reported the following: “Should transgender people be sterilised before they are recognised? Earlier this year Japan’s Supreme Court decided that the answer is yes.” On one hand who am I to judge another nationstate’s policies? On another hand, as a Canadian who lives under our liberating constitution how could I support a nationstate with these kinds of values? However, do we punish the distilleries for the decisions of the courts? In the end, as we imbibe from a global market, in the same way there is a separation of church and state let there be a separation of spirit and state! Why punish a distillery for the choices of the courts of its nation when it’s quite probable the distillers are either ignorant of the courts’ decisions or could be opposed to them? Moreover, even if they did agree with the decisions of the courts that is their right. Therefore, so long as when it comes to the business of making whisk(e)y if distillers stick strictly to this business and do not spread their political viewpoints, so long as there remains a separation of spirit and state, then let us drink whisk(e)y from all nationstates with a clear and free flowing conscience.

It is important to think about these things. What we take into our bodies makes us who we are: mind, body, soul and spirit (pun intended).

Here is the article:

https://www.economist.com/asia/2019/03/16/japan-says-transgender-people-must-be-sterilised

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Photo Credit: Whisky Magazine ~ http://whiskymag.com/story/1-the-kit

I was originally going to share only the dechar/rechar video of this Bowmore Wood series, but when I saw there are 20 segments I knew I had to share them all. I know what I’ll be watching tomorrow during my breaks! By the way, if you want to sneak ahead to the dechar/rechar segment, 12/20, it is fascinating. The level of detail that goes into the dechar process alone will captivate you. From the video, different companies will prescribe precisely how much char they would like removed from a used barrel/cask so as to achieve a desired flavour profile, one that is unique to that distillery. It is incredible how the finest detail adds to a distillery’s character. Therefore, I think this is a good reason to try younger whiskies from a distillery, too. It gives you an opportunity to really get a sense of a distillery’s individual character and charm before too much wood influence takes over the whisky’s flavour profile. Here is the Bowmore Wood series. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC37FBB415C9053F6

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(Photo Credit: Black Barley – https://www.inharvest.com/products/foodservice/whole-grains-and-pastas/black-barley/)

The Scotch Whisky article posted below suggests that in coming years we may be in for a treat with respect to whisky varieties we get to taste. At present, whisky makers are leaning towards golden breeds of barley to make their whiskies; but did you know that barley comes in many different colours, such as black, red, purple and blue? We may see whiskies made out of barley like this in coming years. Imagine the possible flavour and colour profiles we could get out of single malt and blended whiskies if this proverbial door opens, which as this author suggests is only a matter of time. I for one am beyond excited to try whiskies made from alternative varietals of barley. Could you imagine drinking an obsidian whisky that refracts a deep mahogany? Just imagine the enveloping molasses and intoxicatingly rich caramel-like flavours emanating from a whisky such as this. Oh boy!

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(Photo Credit: YouTube – click on the picture to watch an interview)

Jim Murray is arguably at present the world’s leading whisky critic. It is reported that he has sampled over 4000 whiskies. Could you imagine the luxurious position to be in so as to sample and critique the best whiskies in the world? However, make no mistake, he earned each drop of success.

Murray was born November 13th, 1957 in Merstham, a small village approximately 25 kilometers south of London, England. Most sources suggest that when he was just 16 years of age he hosted his own television show in Northamptonshire called “Murray on Monday.” Murray would report on local sporting events. He was so passionate about sporting events that he even wrote his own book about sports, “Millwall: Lions of the South.” If you’re interested in picking up a copy Amazon sells a few, and here’s the link:

One of Murray’s initial claims to fame was becoming the world’s first fulltime whisky writer. This move came after spending 13 years as a newspaper journalist; while working as a journalist he would travel to visit distilleries to sample their whiskies and apparently even work in the distilleries during his free time. Following the move to leave his job as a journalist vindication came when in 1994 he released the well received “Jim Murray’s Irish Whiskey Almanac.” Following this publication he released other praise worthy books including “Jim Murray’s Complete Book of Whisky” (1997), “Classic Bourbon, Tennessee & Rye” (1998), and “Classic Blended Scotch” (1999).

What makes Murray unique is that he does not mind going against the grain; he will give an honest evaluation of a whisky, one that is unguarded. Murray’s candid evaluations combined with his experience are some of the reasons his reviews are so highly regarded and are such trustworthy sources of information. His latest and greatest book is in a series the first of which was released in 2003, “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.” This book is released on an annual basis and encapsulates a library of every whisky Murray has tasted, including a score of each whisky. Each whisky is scored out of 100 points with 25 points being divvied up equally between nose, taste, finish, and balance. If you’re looking for a copy of Murray’s Whisky Bible, and who wouldn’t be, Amazon sells them here:

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Bibliography:

Master of Malt: https://www.masterofmalt.com/distilleries/jim-murray-books/
Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible: https://whiskybible.com/dram-good-book-shop/
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Murray_(whisky_writer)

(Photo Credit: ScotsUSA)

I must admit that with all of the research I’ve been conducting for the blog alternative types of whisky have caught my attention. I’ve been a traditionalist for a while, but I believe it’s time for me to branch out and try new things, live on the “wild side” of life. Yes, for me peach whisky, in this case Crown Royal Peach, is about as wild as I get lol but it’s a good life. Evidently, it is rather good served with iced tea. This said, I am going to do a tasting of the whisky neat so I can really get a sense of its flavor. Then, what the heck, I suppose I can try a splash of iced tea with it. Look at me getting loose as a goose. I think I’ll need a good, strong Islay to smarten me up after all this experimentation lol

Ontario readers, the peach Crown Royal bottle isn’t out in the LCBO at this time, but I’m hoping it will be on shelves soon. All articles I have read indicated the whisky is being released for summer 2019, so there’s still time. In the meantime, if you simply cannot wait to indulge your tastebuds there are other Crown Royal flavors available with the LCBO: apple, vanilla, and maple as a start. Here’s the link:

https://www.lcbo.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchDisplay?sType=SimpleSearch&ddkey=ProductListingView_6_3074457345618261807_2310&fromPage=catalogEntryList&searchTerm=crown+royal+peach&urlRequestType=Base&catalogId=10051&resultType=both&showResultsPage=true&tabSlotId=6&disableProductCompare=false&beginIndex=0&resultCatEntryType=2&langId=-1&enableSKUListView=false&pageSize=12&ajaxStoreImageDir=%2Fwcsstore%2FLCBOStorefrontAssetStore%2F&storeId=10203

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I am beyond delighted to share that I will be taking Whisky Ambassador training in Montréal, Québec on November 16th 2019. I can hardly wait to immerse myself in the knowledge that will be offered. I would encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about whisky to take this course.

Whisky Ambassador training is offered world-wide through Whisky Consultant. Whisky Ambassador training is recognized as “the international mark of a whisky professional.” To become a certified Whisky Ambassador, which is accredited education from the UK, visit: http://www.thewhiskyambassador.com

Following my experience in Montréal this coming November I will of course be blogging about my experience. Stay tuned!

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I’ve been to a number of whisky tastings. They begin in a similar fashion with a lovely and informative story of the whisky’s distillery, including its location and history. If you’re fortunate you will be regaled with an interesting story of town’s folks nearby the distillery. Be sure to brace yourself because if the distillery has been around long enough it’s quite likely there will be a story about a fire somewhere along the way. There’s almost always a fire.🔥 I’ve even presented a whisky once whose distillery had suffered an explosion! That was rather unexpected.

Following a description of the distillery the presenter may, if you’re fortunate enough, move into describing the barrel(s) used to age the whisky, including the type of wood used to form the barrel and whether this wood was previously used to age another drink, typically bourbon, sherry or port. Henceforth, the presenter will often describe which qualities the wood is likely to have imbued within the whisky. For instance, perhaps oak will infuse a whisky with flavors such as vanilla, honey, caramel and spices; the presenter will be able to expound on these flavor profiles during the nosing and tasting portion of his or her presentation of the whisky.

This leads me to the one and the only drab, underrepresented and oft misrepresented aspects of whisky presentations I have witnessed, including those given by The Masters: colour. For us whisky afficienatos stop and ask yourself, “how many times have I heard a whisky described as either golden or amber?” One would think those are the only two options by which to describe a whisky’s colour. I am writing here today to forever break this habit amongst whisky drinkers. There are in fact beyond 50 shades of gold; I was being saucy. If you were to ask a mathematician they would tell you there are an infinite number of shades of any colour within the visible spectrum. However, for the purposes of this blog post I have taken a colour chart from EnglishGrammar.org which sufficiently describes 40 shades of yellow and orange.

This chart is incredibly useful. For example, instead of describing a whisky as “dark gold” instead state that it is the colour of firelight licking the sides of the glass refracting tiger’s eye. Isn’t that far more pleasing than “dark gold?” As well, in lieu of describing a whisky as merely “amber” try something like “the colour is a deepening, robust butterscotch, and if you swirl your glass you can see how the legs reflect as a tuscan sunset setting into the meniscus.” Try that at your next whisky tasting. You’ll be the talk of the tables!

Remember, while there may be more than 50 shades of gold a solid description of 40 shades of yellow and orange is a good start. Have some fun with it. Look up different shades of yellow, gold, orange, and enjoy writing metaphors to describe your whisky in as many ways as you can imagine.

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Ms. Aagsen offers a candid perspective from inside the world of a whisky ambassador. She speaks from a uniquely woman’s perspective and makes refreshing remarks. Here is an excerpt from the article, which is posted below:

“Whisky is apprehended as cartoonishly masculine. I can’t even count the number of times someone has said “There probably aren’t a lot of women in your field.” This is not only false, but tired…I have absolutely had my experience shirked and my opinions flatly ignored—but NEVER from men who work in whisky. Only from men outside of whisky. Within the whisky industry, I have only encountered the utmost respect and camaraderie from men.”

Life As A Female Whiskey Ambassador Has Its Challenges

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While the whisky experts discussed in the Independent article featured below do not mind mixing their whiskies I prefer my whisky neat so that I can taste the full body of the drink. I suppose on a hot summer’s day I might be persuaded to take in a whisky cocktail as they do appear rather charming, and appealing to the palate, but it would be few and far between. I am rather won over to the neat experience. However, as with all food and drink the most important aspect is that you enjoy the experience. This said, before mixing a whisky I would strongly encourage enjoying its full bodied flavour neat first to experience its unadulterated form and then, if one must, by all means mix and enjoy. However, before mixing please do consider the years of effort that went into creating the perfect dram and perhaps reconsider the mix? Neat with a few drops of water to open up the bouquet is how the masters imbibe. That’s food for thought.

Ontario, Canada readers, Black Label as featured in the Independent article is available at the LCBO:

https://www.lcbo.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/lcbo/johnnie-walker-black-label-scotch-whisky-7880-1#.XISLLBmvCyU

Here is the Independent article, which inspired this blog post:

https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/food-drink/spirits/best-whisky-women-female-distillers-bottles-by-a8332981.html

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Photo Credit: https://www.craftginclub.co.uk/ginnedmagazine/2017/5/19/6-classic-whisky-cocktails-made-with-gin-instead