The Glenmorangie Milsean "A Cavalcade of Candy"

In addition to the ever growing wealth of whisky shows and fests that have popped up over the last few years, the whisky calendar is now also well and truly firmed up with a plethora of annual releases from brands launching premium priced, non-core range expressions that have either been uniquely aged, finished or are experimental in some way.

From Special Releases to Committee bottlings, these highly anticipated and limited in number offerings, provide pieces of liquid distillery history to enthusiasts and collectors alike, or sadly but in thankfully lesser numbers, whisky auction fodder for those wanting to make a quick buck.

The annual releases roll into action each January, with the more experimentally focussed Private Edition series launch from The Glenmorangie. Where to date different wine finishes, barley types, cask management and the traditional use of peat have been used to create some truly exciting and enticing drops of dramspankage.

This year and as ever with Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Head of Distilling & Whisky Creation at the helm, the 7th bottling in the series was recently launched, in the form of The Glenmorangie Milsean. A non-age statement (NAS) bottling, which takes its name from the Gaelic for 'Sweet Things' and is essentially their 10 Year Old Original expression, that has been extra-matured in heavily toasted Portuguese red wine casks.

The nose kicks off with a colossal candy cavalcade of cherry drops, pineapple cubes, dolly mixtures, lemon sherbets, coconut ice and all the strawberry chocolate fondants from a box of Quality Street. Followed by a big wondrous wedge of summer pudding, drenched in cold Ambrosia custard.

Orange zest, granny smith apples and a medley of fresh tropical fruit, infused with tobacco leaf and black pepper make for the next set of nasal niceties, along with ready rolled icing, vanilla fudge, sugared almonds and something rather ravishingly bourbon-esque.

The palate dishes up and delivers all the promises that were made on the nose, with all the organised calorific candy commotion balancing out and evolving into a wealth of more five a day friendly dried fruits, assorted citrus peels and maraschino cherries.

Warm treacle tart, oven baked bananas and a buttered slice of Jamaican fruit bun then make for the next trio of palatable pleasures, along with cinnamon sticks, ground black pepper and oodles of opulent and charismatic charred oak.

Just as an athlete would aim to deliver his or her best in all parts of a triathlon, this candy-copia of a dram is as tenaciously triumphant on the nose, palate and on its lush linger-ette of a finish, in this Glenmorangie dramathlon.

All in all, this latest release is a superb new addition to the Private Edition series. But the real highlights and heroes that stand out during every savouring sip, are the rich and robust, feisty and fruity Glenmorangie distillery signature style of notes, which this dramspanker exudes effortlessly in abundance.

So if Milsean stretches the boundaries of your budget (RRP £75.99) I urge you to try or revisit the Glenmorangie 10 Year Old Original (RRP £29.99) to experience and appreciate a true cracking corker of a core range classic.

Tullamore D.E.W. Tweet Tasting

Continuing our hugely successful triumphant teeming throng of Tweet Tastings, we’re absolutely thrilled to announce that on March 2nd we’ll be pouring and exploring a joyous and jubilant dramboree of Irish dramming ditties from Tullamore D.E.W.

On the night we’ll be tweet tasting live from the distillery, as we share, sip and savour their Original, 12 Year Old, 14 Year Old and Cider Cask Finish expressions.

Full details coming soon, but if you would like take part in what will be an Irish dramming night to remember click here to register your interest by emailing your name, address and Twitter handle, remembering to mark the subject line of the email: #TullamoreDEW

The closing date to register is February 19th, and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the night!!!

Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following all the evening’s dramspankery. So we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on March 2nd at 7pm GMT via hashtag #TullamoreDEW

Registration open to over 18's only

For more information on Tullamore D.E.W. visit: tullamore.com

@TheWhiskyWire

@TullamoreDEWUK

Benromach Tweet Tasting III

They say that good things come in three’s and there’s certainly no exception when it comes to our triumphant teaming throng of Tweet Tastings, as we’re thrilled to announce that on March 10th we’ll be hosting our third evening, sipping and savouring a selection of splendorous Speyside whisky wares from the Benromach Distillery.

We’re also thrilled to announce that as part of its world launch, the evening will be headlined by Benromach’s new 35 Year Old bottling. An expression that was handcrafted  in the 1980s using the finest natural ingredients at their Forres distillery. Created under the watchful eye of former Distillery Manager Donald MacDonald.

Produced with the same passion and tradition as the new 35 Year Old, we’ll also be pouring and exploring a selection of Benromach’s multi award winning core range expressions.

Full details to follow soon, but if you would like to take part in a very special evening, sampling some splendorous Speyside sips and be one of the limited few to sample the new Benromach 35 Year Old, click here to register your interest by emailing your name, address and Twitter handle, remembering to mark the subject line of the email: #Benromach35

The closing date to register is February 12th, and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the night!!!

Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following all the evening’s dramfotainment. So we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on March 10th at 7pm GMT via hashtag #Benromach35

Registration open to over 18's only

For more information on Benromach visit: benromach.com

@TheWhiskyWire

@Benromach

Whisky Regions Tweet Tasting

More social media based dramfotainment you say? Well allow us to gladly oblige, as we’re delighted to announce that on February 24th, we’ll be sharing, sipping and savouring whiskies from not one, not two, but three countries in our first Whisky Regions Tweet Tasting.

For our first Whisky Regions event, we’re thrilled to say that we’ll be kicking things off with a plethora of phenomenal pours from the mother dramming land of Scotchland, and doing so by teaming up again with our good friends at Glen Moray.

We’ll then be nipping over to Ireland to sample a duo of dramspanking Irish dramming ditties from The Dubliner and The Dublin Liberties, then we’ll finish off by teaming up again with the multi-award winning Canadian whisky brand, Crown Royal.

If you would like to take part in an evening pouring and exploring a wealth of wondrous and worldly whisky wares, click here to register your interest by emailing your name, address and Twitter handle, remembering to mark the subject line of the email: #WhiskyRegions

The closing date to register is February 5th, and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the night!!!

Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following the evening’s dramfotainment. So we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on February 24th at 7pm GMT via hashtag #WhiskyRegions

Registration open to over 18's only

@TheWhiskyWire

@GlenMorayDist

@DublinerWhiskey

@CrownRoyal

Win Tickets To Whisky Live London 2016

Hootendrammy! It’s very nearly that time of the year again, when Whisky Live rolls into London.  After selling out in 2015, the world’s premier whisky tasting event returns to the stunning surroundings of the Honourable Artillery Company in the heart of the City on the 18th and 19th of March.

In addition to the multitude of exhibiting whisky brands from all over the world, there will also be a whole host of other whisky based dramanagins including masterclasses, food pairings, live entertainment and exclusive private premium pours in the VIP lounge.

For the fourth year, we’re thrilled to be teaming up again with Whisky Live London to give away two pairs of tickets to this year’s dramstravaganza. To be in with a chance of winning, all you need to do is Click Here and email us your contact details along with the following phrase that dramming pays:
 

"Whisk me away to Whisky Live London to uncover and discover a dramspanking wealth of wondrous, worldly,
whisky wares”

*Remember to mark the subject line of your email with either: Whisky Live Friday or Whisky Live Saturday depending on which day you would like to attend.
 

If you’re just too eager to secure your tickets before they sell out, and why wouldn’t you, we’d like to offer all our readers a 10% ticket discount to this year’s event. Click Here to buy your tickets remembering to add discount code: WLL16TheWhiskyWire when checking out.

We'll be there over the weekend, and it'd be great to share a dram or two on what promises to be a gargantuanly glorious weekend of whisky in London!

For full details and updates visit: whiskylive.com

Competition closes at 6pm GMT on Monday March 14th 2016. You have to be aged 18 years or over to enter. No cash alternative available. Competition winners will have to provide own transport/accommodation.

Quick Fire Whisky Tasting Notes

Talisker Neist Point

 

 

Nose: Vanilla infused poached pears, spiced baked granny smith apples, beach barbecued bananas, toasted slices of HTB Jamaican fruit bun, clove studded oranges, mixed spice, ash and embers from a pile of old burning newspapers, sea spray, black pepper and a pronounced pinch-ette of peat.

 

Palate: Peat smoke, dried chili flakes, Charbonnel et Walker dark sea salt caramel chocolate truffles, grounds of black pepper, candid peel, dried apricots, warm slices of pear and apple tarte tatin, vanilla custard, Mackays Scottish three berry preserve, Hovis digestive biscuits, anise, mixed spice, charred oak and an all-round earthy allure.

 

Finish: A cosy and comforting, sassily spiced, long lingering finish.

 

Summary: A text book example of not only another dramspankingly delish Talisker expression, but also a superbly belting and balanced no age statement (NAS) bottling. It’s only downfall being that it’s a travel retail exclusive. Almost worth booking a trip just to buy a bottle!