Ardbeg Alligator

So much hype has been generated by the new Ardbeg offering. After the Committee release bottling earlier in the year, It is now available to the masses in the familiar dark green guise. Approx pricing is £65 but if you just fancy a sample masterofmalt.com will be adding it to their drinks by the dram line up.

Here are the tasting notes from the Ardbeg website

Lurking within is an Ardbeg of hidden depths. Extremely fierce charring of the cask gives Ardbeg Alligator a unique spicy bite that’ll catch you unawares. Charge your glass with a splash of water and roll it around and around in your jaws!

LONG NOSE
Warning signs of cumin and barbecue sauce.

BIG TASTE
Hot and spicy flavours grip you, ginger and chocolate thrash.

FINISH YOU OFF!
Slow and long mocha espresso while cigar smoke ebbs.

Missed out this year :-(

For the first time in many years I didn't manage along to Whisky Live in Glasgow. I hope it was as good as previous years and the drinks voucher system was as loose as ever.

For any of you who have not attended one of these shows, I cannot recommend it enough. No where else can you sample so many types/styles/new whiskies. What a great way to find your flavour without spending a fortune on whole bottles. These shows travel the world with the next show being in Paris. They return to London in March next year.

http://www.whiskylive.com/

Amrut Fusion

With Whisky Live Glasgow 2010 fast approaching, It got me thinking about last years event. The whiskies i tasted, hated, adored and how i think my palate has changed over the last year. I do remember being introduced to the Amrut range. From what i remember, there was a Bourbon Oak and a peated variant on offer. What i do remember is that i wasn't particularly impressed by either. However, after Jim Murray voted the Amrut Fusion 3rd finest Whisky in the world 2010, i knew it was time to revisit the Bangalore distillers.

Amrut distillers originally started in the 1950's making dark rum for the armed forces and civilian market. Progressing to grape brandy in the 1970's and , with the help of Scottish experts, malt whisky in the 80's.

So, the fusion title relates to the combination of Indian and Scottish barleys. The Scottish barley is peated and the spirit bottled at 50%. It really is a big and punchy dram, a mouth filler.

On the nose: Big, Juicy, ovaltine chocolate, orange barley sweets with the next door neighbours' peat fire gently smouldering away just hinting at the smoke.

Palate: We've arrived next door now. The peat warms and is gladly followed by that malty chocolate. Oak and custard show their face and the taste flows well around the mouth.

Finish: Long, leaving you to decide on what bit you liked best. Smokey, sweet or woody

A massive whisky with a reasonable price tag. Nice to have a big hitter for a smidge over £30

Craig

Chicken, Bacon, Avacado and Egg salad

Don't knock it until you've tried it!!

This is a delicious twist on boring salads. Chargrilled meat against creamy veg with the citrus cut of lemon to finish. Yum. The ingredients listed are enough for 2-3 but double up or adjust as required :-)

You will need:-

2 Chicken breasts

3 Rashers of Bacon

A ripe avocado

2 Hard boiled eggs

Half a lemon (juice only)

Choice of salad leaves ( I used rocket, watercress, spinach etc. Lettuce is fine)

A dollop of mayo

Parmesan shavings (optional)

Salt and Pepper

And it really is as simple as.......... Chargrill the chicken (pre cut so it cooks quicker), same with the bacon until it's crispy. Combine in a salad bowl with the chopped avacado and eggs. Stir in the mayo and lemon while seasoning to taste. Chuck it all on top of the salad and dust lightly with the parmesan. YUM! You can add cherry toms or cucumber etc. whatever takes your fancy. Enjoy

Kilchoman Summer release

Kilchoman's 4th distillery offering will be hitting the shelves on Monday (9th August). Kilchoman is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland with an annual production of 100,000 litres of alcohol. Kilchoman is one of only six distilleries to carry out traditional floor maltings, but the key difference at Kilchoman is that the barley is grown on the farm at the distillery, whereas other distilleries purchase barley from around the country.

I'm looking forward to see what, if anything, has changed from the Spring release. In the mean time, here are the notes from the website.

Summer 2010 Release *now available from online shop*

Strength : 46%abv

Colour : Pale Straw

Nose: Strong peaty aromas and a comple blend of pear drops, citrus and hints of mango.

Palate : An initial sweetness is followed by peat smoke and mixed fruits, the finish is long, clean and refreshing leaving hints of peat smoke and cloves.

Whisky and Diwali

I have been lucky enough to be invited to Whyte and Mackay HQ this

week! The event is to celebrate the 30 year olds win at the international spirit's challenge and Diwali, the Indian festival of light.

If you have seen Richard Patersons website recently (www.themasterblender.com), you would have noticed he has been busy pairing Indian food and Scotch whisky. You can watch his youtube video here. http://tinyurl.com/yk3kwyr

Diwali is a national celebration in India with the most significant spiritual meaning being the celebration of "the awareness of the inner light". As we can imagine plenty of food will be be consumed during the fireworks. Lots of sweet "nibbles" and street style food.

I'm looking forward to seeing the sample room at Whyte and Mackay and listening to Richard talk us through each of the W&M range. This, of course, will be especially good with the food treats for Diwali! I'll take plenty of pictures and do a full report on here after the event. Be sure to keep an eye on Twitter as i'll keep you updated as the night progresses. Might even nip down the "Nevis" for a few drams afterwards.

In the mean time, If you have any questions you would like me to forward on to Richard, drop me a line.

Craig

Dalmore Sirius SOLD OUT

After only one week since it's release, Dalmore Sirius is sold out. There were only 12 decanters from the premium brand Dalmore. Each one with a heavy price tag of £10,000. The Sirius vintage is drawn from a single cask dating back to 1951.

You can't help but wonder if many, if any, of these bottles will be opened. Is there someone who has purchased one to savour and enjoy the fantastically precious contents? For me and everyone else in the real world, we can only imagine what the experience would be like. We'll just have to read the tasting notes! In the mean time, enjoy one of Dalmore's other fine whiskies! They're all good.

Craig