25/06/09 12:45
Two years ago when I started working on this website, I knew nothing about whisky. Couldn’t tell you what the difference was between Canadian Rye, Irish, Scotch or Bourbon. I did know that I wanted to learn, so Jules and I grabbed the camera and picked up press passes to Whisky Live in Toronto. We were determined to ask all the ‘dumb newbie’ questions so you at home wouldn’t have to. That first show we learned a lot and were able to interview some of the more knowledgeable people in the world of whisk(e)y.
Our first interview was with Ian Millar from Glenfiddich... the camera work was awful, and my interview was even worse. However we learned a lot about whisky, whiskey, rye, and bourbon. Our biggest lesson was this: yes some whisky lovers have ‘rules’ etched in stone, and if you don’t do it their way - well you’re doing it wrong! BUT! If you talk to the master distillers, the guys who make this stuff and have lived their whole lives immersed in whisky they will all tell you that there are suggested ways to drinking it; but if you like it mixed with soda, or ginger ale, then so be it. In the end, don’t be intimidated by your perception of the rules.
After that first whisky live, we continued to search out places to test our palate and find what we like. Where we live (Toronto) there are lots of ‘Scotch’ dinners and evening tasting events. I would encourage anyone who is interested in whisky to try these out, so much better than looking blankly at the wall of bottles at the LCBO, or reading endless online reviews of spirits. While the reviews can be helpful there is nothing like tasting for yourself. Another plus to these events is the shear array of brands, and expressions on offer; you can taste 15-20 different bottles at whisky live.
So that brings us to last night, two years later at a ‘Taste and Talk’ event held by Glenfiddich. Gotta tell you, I’m still confused and unable to really articulate why I like / don’t like any particular expression. But I’m getting closer, and can now at least form my questions into near complete sentences. We were led through a tasting of four different expressions of Glenfiddich: 12, 15, 18, and 21 years old, by a rep from Wm Grant.
The room is filled with a fairly diverse crowd (maybe a few too many Y chromosomes) spanning a wide range of ages and tasting experiences. So as we nosed and tasted through the range, I was pleased when people discussed what they could taste and smell. Some could put it into words (Julie among them) but the majority were like me and cluelessly fumbled to form our thoughts. This discussion is another of the great reasons to attend a function like this; an exchange of thoughts is always a great way to learn and explore. We met up with the guys from Scotch Blog who are on their own voyage of discovery, working their way through quiet a few expressions - hopefully we can work with these guys in the future.
The evening wasn’t all about Scotch though; this was the first of what will be an ongoing speaker series (it is called ‘Taste and Talk’ after all). Our speaker was Colin Angus who spent two years circumnavigating the globe under human power: bike, rowboat, à pied. The speaker adds an interesting twist on the evening, giving an extra point to start a discussion with the others in the room. Though it did get Jules and I thinking about our next adventure... Keep your eye on this space for upcoming events in this series.
So out of the four expressions we tasted the one I liked the most was the 15. By a show of hands the room was evenly split between the four, which just sort of proves in a fairly unscientific way that we are all different.
Some great sources of whisky info:
scotchblog.ca
The Companions of the Quaich
And of course our own video interviews of whisky masters
Tags: drinks, scotch, Whiskey, Whisky
19/06/09 08:35
Just in time for summer weather a box arrived at our door, filled with
R.W Knudsen Sparkling Essence. Now I have a soft spot for pop, one brand in particular... but as I get a bit older I’ve realised that I just can’t (shouldn’t) drink it as often as I would like. So a few years ago I switched to club soda; refreshing and bubbly without the sugar and chemicals I can’t pronounce.
Problem is, I still want some flavour in the bubbles. Easy enough to do at home, where I can cut up a lemon, lime, or some other fruit, but harder to do at a corner store. I’m sure you’ve been there - standing in front of a glass wall of refrigerators, filled with sugary pop or equally sugar filled ‘juices’. The only other choice in this scenario is flavourless bottled water.
Solution: R.W Knudsen Sparkling Essence.
4 flavours of all natural, sugar free (0 calorie) beverage. Just a hint of flavour, nothing overpowering or in your face and no chemicals.
Lemon first caught my eye, as being the flavour I would probably most enjoy; but I was taken in by the Mint and Blueberry. The fourth flavour took me a little while longer to get my head around - Cucumber. Don’t get me wrong I love cukes, but a bubbly water infused with Cucumber Essence? As the office gathered around, it became clear to me that Cucumber is apparently all the rage as a flavour right now so maybe I’m in the minority?
Enter a great idea, “Isn’t Hendrick’s Gin infused with cucumber?”.
And so it was born (we think we invented this) the ‘Cucumber Slumber™’. A super refreshing summertime drink consisting of 1 ounce of Hendrick’s Gin, 1 can of R.W. Knudsen Cucumber Sparkling Essence, and a cucumber wedge for garnish.
So if you are looking for a low cal, all natural, refreshing drink this summer that doesn’t compromise flavour; give this Sparkling Essence a try.
Tags: drinks, Gin
