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Posted

This weekend is the Victoria Whisky Festival - Canada's largest whisky festival, and one of the largest in the world, with over 180 whiskies from around the world represented to try at the main event. I've got tickets for a Friday Grand tasting, three masterclasses and the Saturday night main event. Will I survive?

My tickets

- Friday Springbank Grand tasting

- Saturday morning Ardbeg masterclass

- Saturday early afternoon BenRiach/Glendronach masterclass

- Saturday afternoon Canadian Club masterclass

- Saturday night consumer tasting (3 hours of all you can drink)

Here we go!

Posted

Friday night Springbank grand tasting

I arrived to a packed house, got a seat at the back. In front of me were 6 poured glasses of Springbank whisky, one of my 3 favorite distilleries. As we start, the seat next to me remains empty. ...wasted drams? Who could miss this?

The six whiskies were

Campbeltown Loch 21 yr - a blend supplied to local pubs. Not yet bottled. Tasty with a sweet profile and smoky finish. Like it a lot!

Springbank 12 yr cask strength batch 6 - this batch hasn't been bottled yet. I love the 12yr CS, and each batch is a little different. This bruiser is no slouch, the spicy oils fighting around with a creamy peat make for winning whisky

Springbank Calvados - this one is just on sale in bottles now. Definitely shows the apple finish of 6 yrs in Calvados casks. It was nice, but probably my least favorite

Springbank Local Barley - a newer local barley whisky, 13 yrs old with no plans yet to bottle it. This was my favorite of the night - intense, deep spice and flavor, oodles of creamy peat on the finish - they took classic Springbank here and kicked everything up a notch. Yum!!!!!!

Springbank 21 yr - the 2013 release - to be bottled next week., 1300 bottles worldwide. Fantastic stuff, a mature and mellow Springbank where the punch has evolved in to panache. The star of the show for most.

Longrow Rundlets and Kilderkins - not yet bottled, think Peated Springbank in small quarter casks. Love the deep creamy peat that is unlike the islay style. Delicious!

The whole tasting went about 100 minutes, very entertaining and informative about the distillery, it's history and the people and town behind it. Very worthwhile!

At the end, I asked the distillery rep behind me who was going to have the wasted drams from the guy beside me who never showed. He told me to take em so they wouldn't go to waste....as long as I gave him the 21 yr glass LOL. Score!

One tasting down, 11 whiskies so far. Gonna need some bacon at breakfast for absorbtion!

That was last night. Bring on Ardbeg in a few hours!

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Posted

Tell us what you think of

Glendronach 15 years

(one of my favourites)

Cheers!

Posted

Ardbeg Masterclass done!

6 post-5835-0-55541900-1358627808_thumb.jp

Great way to start your. ... morning!

6 whiskies, 3 I've tried before

Ardbeg Blasda (lightly peated) - first time trying this, actually quite like it! Even though it is lightly peated, still smoky on the palate! Lots of sweet fruit there too

Ardbeg 10 - my classic go-to. Can't lose here

Ardbeg Uigeadail - sherried ardbeg - a staple on my shelf

Ardbeg Galileo - been wanting to try this to see if I was right in buying two bottles on release. Red wine and lush fruits on the nose - palate is interesting. Not sure if I like it. ....... yeah I like it. Good buy!

Ardbeg Corryvrecken - wonderful as always - 57% abv!!!!

Ardbeg Day - the surprise of the tasting! I don't know how to describe except that its exceptional. Like the 10 year with an added level of complexity. Good luck finding it though....long sold out

Great tasring ! A snap with David Blackmore, Ardbeg ambassador, before a quick lunch, and on to BenRiach/Glendronach!

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Posted

Mmmmm .... Now this is one event I'd love to attend!

Great stuff, Chris.

Posted

Next up was BenRiach/Glendronach. Good stuff, I'd tried most of the stuff out there, except for the last one..

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BenRiach 10 tr Curiositas - smoky awesomeness. Always have some at my place

BenRiach 15 yr Pedro Ximinez - one of the better PX cask whiskies out there.

BenRiach Birnie Moss - now this is great stuff. Young peaty whisky with enough creamy character to make it worthy of discussion. Need to get a bottle!

Glendronach 12 yr -clean, drinkable whisky. I think it is like a Glenfiddich 12 yr Plus - lots of pear here!

Glendronach 15 year Revival - now this I did like. Added depth and body with an enjoyable finish . I would like a bottle of this on the shelf!

BenRiach 1987 single cask - the winner of the tasting. Deep, rich with plenty of Spice and a full finish. Love it!!!!

Next, a Sancho panza Corona Gigantes before the Canadian club tasting!

Posted

My head is still pounding from this last night.

Quick statistic - I tried nearly 50 different whiskies at this year's festival. Ouch!

fuller story coming tomorrow.....

Posted

Sounds like excellent fun!

This is exactly what I was expecting:

- Friday Springbank Grand tasting

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- Saturday morning Ardbeg masterclass

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- Saturday early afternoon BenRiach/Glendronach masterclass

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- Saturday afternoon Canadian Club masterclass

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Posted

Ardbeg Masterclass done!

6 post-5835-0-55541900-1358627808_thumb.jp

Great way to start your. ... morning!

6 whiskies, 3 I've tried before

Ardbeg Blasda (lightly peated) - first time trying this, actually quite like it! Even though it is lightly peated, still smoky on the palate! Lots of sweet fruit there too

Ardbeg 10 - my classic go-to. Can't lose here

Ardbeg Uigeadail - sherried ardbeg - a staple on my shelf

Ardbeg Galileo - been wanting to try this to see if I was right in buying two bottles on release. Red wine and lush fruits on the nose - palate is interesting. Not sure if I like it. ....... yeah I like it. Good buy!

Ardbeg Corryvrecken - wonderful as always - 57% abv!!!!

Ardbeg Day - the surprise of the tasting! I don't know how to describe except that its exceptional. Like the 10 year with an added level of complexity. Good luck finding it though....long sold out

Great tasring ! A snap with David Blackmore, Ardbeg ambassador, before a quick lunch, and on to BenRiach/Glendronach!

post-5835-0-34270100-1358627825_thumb.jp

Posted

This looks great. The whole concept of whiskey looks so appealing. Unfortunately due to a tragic(idiotic) childood (I was 20) experience (I drank a liter of Seagrams Seven in 2hours and only weighed 120 lbs at the time), I can not drink whiskey and must enjoy finer rums the rest of my life.

But again, that all does look great.

Posted

Sounds like you had a blast. Hope the hangover isn't too bad.

Glendronach is my favourite scotch. Love the 15yr and 21yr.

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