One of the best?
Here’s an interesting article from the Independent about the 10 best Scotches. I’d be interested in your Top Ten. Email glaswhiskyclub@gmail.com Stick TopTen in the subject line.
Connoisseurs from one of the UK’s largest and most prestigious whisky events, The Whisky Show, have named Glengoyne 40 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky as the Ultra Premium Dram of 2010.
Competing against over 20 luxury whiskies currently available in the global marketplace retailing from a minimum of £300, Glengoyne 40 Years Old was selected as the pinnacle dram that best captured the distiller’s art.
A combined vote from visitor sampling and nomination for their preferred Ultra Premium whisky and a final tasting by Event Director Graeme Wallace and The Whisky Exchange proprietor Sukhinder Singh, Glengoyne was declared the ultimate winner of the ultimate whisky award. Praised for its “sweet, complex” and “oily texture”, it was noted that this Single Malt had remained “superbly balanced” and velvety smooth, without being overpowered by its 40 years of contact with the cask.
Graeme Wallace, Event Director commented: “For a whisky to top this category and win the Ultra Premium Dram Award is no easy achievement and should in no way reflect negatively on the runners up. It was a very close call but Glengoyne 40 Years Old was a very worthy winner.”
Iain Weir, Marketing Director for Ian Macleod Distillers commented: “We are thrilled with this result. It is testament to the Glengoyne team’s craftsmanship and skill that the 40 Years Old has succeeded in winning this very prestigious title against such a high calibre of entrants.”
Only 250 bottles of the limited edition Glengoyne 40 Years Old have been produced, retailing domestically for £3,750. This luxury whisky is presented in a hand-blown bespoke crystal
The Whisky Show is an annual premium consumer whisky tasting even that takes place in London at the end of October. For more details visit www.thewhiskyshow.com
Gordon Mack is currently sunning himself and family in Brazil. He draggedhimself away from the barbie to take a couple of snaps for our delectation and delight. Thanks Gordon. Really!
From our correspondent, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Attached are a couple of snaps (taken in a bit of a crush) in downtown Sao Paulo the other night and I thought they might amuse Still Life readers. This was a trendy bar/diner in the Vila Madelena district of this gigantic sprawling city, but not at all a specialist whisky bar, as such.
If I was the Diageo rep, I would be feeling a warm comfortable glow – not because of the stifling heat outside – but because an entire section of the bar was wall to wall Red Label. I estimated around 200-250 bottles each of which carries its owner’s name and down the side a measuring scale. Measures are generous. Regulars simply call for their own bottle and it sits on the table to be consumed at leisure. There were a couple of Black Label bottles, but nothing in the Green, Blue or Gold category. Gold, if you can find one, retails at around $R600 (£230). Red Label $R50 (around £20), Black Label $R80 (£30).
Malts, exceedingly thin on the ground. Only seen a couple of bottles of Glenfiddich and Glenlivet in up-market restaurants so far. If I turn up any other surprises, I’ll drop you another line.
They might rule the world at footy, but when it comes to whisky they’re really just amateurs.
Best
Gordon
PS Wrap up well everyone! It’s 32 deg here today and we’re BBQing on the terrace.
The committee is currently putting together a list of all the drams we’ve tasted over the year and whittling them down to a top ten. We’ll post them here and ask you to vote for a top three. The winner will be Glasgow’s Whisky Club’s Dram of the Year 2010.
