Monday, November 26, 2018

Unicorn and Single Barrel tasting Series led by David Leary






Unicorn and Single Barrel tasting Series led by David Leary


Unicorn: an imaginary animal that looks like a horse and has a straight horn growing from the middle of its forehead.


What is a unicorn whisk(e)y ?


In terms of whisk(e)y this generally refers to whiskies that are highly sought after by whisk(e)y lovers, collectors, as an investment or even as a "trophy".  While many of these bottles are opened and consumed, many others are traded or sold for $100's or even $1,000's of dollars more than SRP. Basically there is a very small supply for these very sought after whiskies.


At Norfolk Wine and Spirits we occasionally get a small allocation of such bottles and it always creates a dilemma.  There has been a thought for a number of years to conduct a Bourbon dinner or an in-store tasting of the rare allocated bourbons, scotches, whiskies and ryes aka “Unicorns”.  Over the years sporadically we have opened a few Pappy’s, BTAC’s, a Gordon & Macphail's 34 yo Port Ellen etc in the store for people to try. We have never done a comprehensive tasting. This year we are doing something different, which will allow many of our patrons to sample and taste these whiskies.


Dave Leary conducting the Four Roses Unicorn Tasting



This will provide Norfolk Wine and Spirits patrons and opportunity to sample and taste these hard to find whiskies.  We will strive to also feature at least one “Unicorn” that will be available to the “ticket-holders” via a raffle after the tasting.    


Our First Tasting of this series was scheduled for Sat. Dec. 1st  The second Tasting seminar is Dubbed “Unicorn Tasting” Act-2 and will be held on Sat. Dec. 8th, 2018


Ticket: $65/event


Saturday, Dec. 1st, 2018


Your online receipt will serve as your confirmation, if you are purchasing more than one ticket please mention the names of attendees.  Tasting will start on time, so please plan accordingly.


Due to the anecdotal popularity of The Unicorn tasting we will sell tickets for one time slot 12.00 pm for a maximum of 25 tickets.  If this time slot sells out we will host a second Unicorn tasting with the same lineup at 3.30 -5.00 pm. Sorry no changes allowed. Each time slot will feature similar Raffle bottles.


Raffle: General guidelines- Each attendee will get a raffle ticket as part of participation. Based of NWG bottle purchases after the tasting, attendees will get additional raffle tickets to improve their chances to win.  Each NWG Barrel pick bottle purchase will get attendees one additional raffle ticket and six or more bottle purchase will get attendees 2 tickets/bottle. Winner can win only one bottle/tasting.


Saturday Dec. 1st
Tasting Time: 12.30 to 2.00 pm  


Ticket: Unicorn Tasting with Dave Leary Act-I (December 1, 2018 - 12:00 PM)


Tasting Line-up
Eagle Rare 17
Sazerac 18- BTAC
George T Stagg- BTAC
William Larue Weller- BTAC
Thomas H. Handy- BTAC
Al Young Four Roses, 2017 50th Anniversary Small Batch Bourbon
Parker’s Heritage-2018
Old Fitzgerald, 9 yo or 11 yo BIB
Elijah Craig, Barrel Proof
Sons of Liberty, Single Barrel Rye, NWG
Elijah Craig, Single Barrel, NWG
Old Weller Antique (OWA), Single Barrel, NWG
Taconic Bourbon, CS, Single Barrel, NWG
Four Roses Bourbon, CS, Single Barrel, NWG
1792 full proof, Single Barrel, NWG  


Image result for Four Roses, 130th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch


Raffle:
Thomas H. Handy- BTAC $114.99
Parker’s Heritage-2018 $109.99
Al Young Four Roses, 2017 50th Anniversary Small Batch Bourbon $164.99
Four Roses, 130th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch $139.99
Elijah Craig, Barrel Proof, $59.99
Old Weller Antique (OWA), Single Barrel, NWG- (3 bottles) $29.99
Elmer T. Lee, $29.99

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Octomore, the nomenclature and more !!!



https://www.whisky.com/information/news/newsdetail/octomore-dialogos-091-094-announced.html
https://www.whisky.com/whisky-database/distilleries/details/bruichladdich.html
https://scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia/2067/octomore/
https://www.star2.com/food/2018/06/25/bruichladdich-octomore-peated-scotch-whisky/

https://youtu.be/tpID0endypg

The next edition is called „Masterclass“ and comprises four different whiskys
Bruichladdich has published first information about the eight edition of its Octomore. Four whiskys will be released during the next months as Octomore 08 Masterclass. All Octomore 08 releases were produced from 100 % Scottish barley, all are heavily peated and for all there are detailed information how long they have been matured and what casks were used.
Octomore was named after a farm on Islay. Wearing the 8 in its name the 8th edition of the very smoky single malt was planned to be something special. Adam Hannett, Jim MacEwans successor as head histiller, therefor created four very different single malts to show the different characters and look back at the Octomore’s history. Bruichladdich gives an own interpretation of its quartet: The Octomore 8.1 is introduced as „Benchmark“, Octomore 8.2 stands for „Provocation“, for start into something new. Following is Octomore 8.3 as a „Challenge“. Octomore 8.4 is the „Gamechanger“, giving new impulses and defining new rules.

Detailed information about Octomore 8 Masterclass


Octomore Masterclass_08.1 
  • 42.000 bottles
  • 8 years old
  • 100 % Scottish Barley of harvest 2007, 167 ppm
  • distilled 2008
  • matured on Islay in American first fill oak barrels
  • 59.3 % ABV
  • To be released end of August/early September

Octomore Masterclass_08.2 
  • 36.000 bottles
  • 8 years old
  • 100 % Scottish Barley of harvest 2007, 167 ppm
  • distilled 2008
  • Matured on Islay for six years in one of these three cask types: French second fill Mourvedre and Sauterness cask and Austrian sweet wine cask. Then married and filled in Italian first fill Amarone casks for two more years.
  • 58.4 % ABV
  • To be released end of August/early September

Octomore Masterclass_08.3 
  • 18.000 bottles
  • 5 years old
  • 100 % Islay Barley of harvest 2010, 309 ppm
  • distilled 2011
  • Matured on Islay. First fill Bourbon casks made up 56%, the rest were wine casks from Pauillac, Ventoux, Rhone and Burgundy.
  • 61.2 % ABV
  • To be released end of October/early November

Octomore Masterclass_08.4
  • 12.000 bottles
  • 8 years old
  • 100 % Scottish Barley of harvest 2008, 170 ppm
  • distilled 2009
  • Matured on Islay for eight years in 20 % first fill virgin oak casks. The other 80% is whisky that was matured in first fill ex-Bourbon casks and then got a finish in second fill virgin oak casks. In those casks the Octomore 07.4 had laid before. They came from French Tonnellerie Radoux.
  • 58.7 % ABV
  • To be released in February 2018