Allied Glass Gin Tweet Tasting II

Gin ginery, gin ginery, gin, gin, geree! Following the huge success of last years Allied Glass Gin Tweet Tasting, we’re absolutely thrilled to announce that on June 1st, we’ll be teaming up again with the multi-award winning packaging specialist, for an evening of pure ginspiration.

Full details to follow soon, but if you would like to take part in an evening exploring another great spirit and all the gargantuan gloriousness of gin, from some of the brands that have had their bottles crafted and created by Allied Glass, Click Here to register your interest by emailing your name, address and Twitter handle, remembering to mark the subject line #AlliedGlassTT

The closing date to register is May 13th, and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the evening of June 1st to take part!!!

Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following all the evenings ginfotainment. So we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on June 1st at 7pm BST via #AlliedGlassTT

Registration open to over 18's only

For more information on Allied Glass, visit: allied-glass.com

@TheWhiskyWire

@AlliedGlassUK

Whisky Insiders Interview - Colin Hampden-White

Company:
Whisky Quarterly Magazine 

Job:
Editor

Website:
whiskyquarterly.com

How long have you been working in the whisky industry?

Around six years now, starting with my photography and writing for LUX magazine, the quarterly luxury magazine owned by the Editor in Chief of Condé Nast.

 

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Two of my biggest highlights have been becoming the editor of Whisky Quarterly magazine and becoming a Keeper of the Quaich.

 

Can you remember your first dram, and indeed what it was?

The story goes that my parents had a very low cocktail table. One morning, after a party that ended late, they were awoken to their three-year-old son, giggling lightly having polished off the end of his father’s whisky. It was Grouse (with a lot of water, as my father liked it). Needless to say I can’t really remember it. The first dram I remember was a sip of Lagavulin from a gamekeeper’s hip flask on a freezing cold shoot in the borders of Scotland around 30 years ago.

 

What does whisky mean to you?

Memories of times past; creating happy memories now and in the future.

 

Where would you like to see yourself in five years’ time?

I’m pretty happy right now! I travel a lot, but not too much, I enjoy my best-loved hobby as work alongside my favourite people in the world: the whisky community. On top of that, I get to spread the word to new whisky lovers around the world.

 

What was your last dram?

My last dram was a Craigellachie 31 Year Old.

 

Do you have a favourite whisky and food pairing combination?

I love a sweet Speyside with slightly spicy Thai red chicken curry. That and a Bloody Mary made with Ardbeg 10 Year Old, a great pick-me-up.

 

What’s your favourite time and place to enjoy a dram?

I’m a social drinker. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy savouring a dram alone pondering the world and the spirit in my hand, but I prefer the company of others with whom to share the experience. It doesn’t matter if it’s 6am or 6pm, as long as I am with friends, old or new, I’m a happy man.

 

What do you think is going to be the next big thing on the whisky horizon?

There are lots of different whisky styles right now. There are so many countries with a growing curiosity for whisky, I think that where the interest originates might surprise rather than where the liquid comes from.

 

What’s the one dram you couldn’t live without?

Johnnie Walker Black Label. Singles malts are wonderful and each has its own place in time and mood, but as a dram for all times with complexity and enjoyment, this presses all the right buttons.

Many thanks to Colin Hampden-White. Who will be our next Whisky Insider? Click back soon to find out!

The Dram Team Tweet Tasting

Continuing our teeming throng of our industry renowned Tweet Tastings, we’re absolutely thrilled to announce that on June 7th we’ll be teaming up with The Dram Team and their new premium whisky tasting-by-post subscription service, for an evening of epic dramspankery.

As part of their UK launch, on the night we’ll be pouring and exploring The Dram Team’s inaugural flight of whiskies, which will give our selected tasters and followers a taste of what’s to come from this new whisky-tasting-by-post subscription and gift service.

Full details to follow soon, but if you would like to take part in what promises to be a 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: #TheDramTeam

The closing date to register is May 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 June 7th at 7pm BST via hashtag #TheDramTeam

Registration open to UK residents and over 18's only

For more information on The Dram Team visit: thedramteam.co.uk

@TheWhiskyWire

@TheDramTeam

Raise a glass to London's whisky scene

 

We recently contributed to a piece for Virgin Atlantic, looking at the whisky scene in London. It also focuses on the ever growing new generation of whisky consumer, as well as including a 'whisky basics' jaunt around the whisky regions of Scotland, Ireland, England and America. Click Here to read the full article.

Girvan & Rare Cask Reserve Tweet Tasting

 

Continuing our triumphant teaming throng of Tweet Tastings, we’re thrilled to announce that on June 8th, we’ll be teaming up again with our good friends at William Grant & Sons as we share, sip and savour a wave of whisky wares from their Girvan Patent Still and Rare Cask Reserve brands.

On the night we’ll be pouring and exploring their gargantuanly glorious Girvan Patent Still Proof Strength and 25 Year Old expressions, along with their 21 and 26 Year Old Rare Cask Reserves which form two of the brands in the William Grant & Sons Ancient Reserves portfolio.

We’re also thrilled to announce that on the night we’ll be joined by Alwynne Gwilt, ‎Whisky Specialist at William Grant & Sons, who’ll not only be tweeting in on the action but on hand to answer all your Girvan based questions.

Full details to follow soon, but if you would like to take part in an evening that’s all about the glory of the grain and some remarkable rare reserves, Click Here and register your interest by emailing your name, postal address and Twitter handle, remembering to mark the subject line #AncientReserves

The closing date to register is May 2nd, 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 June 8th at 7pm BST via hashtag #AncientReserves

Until then Happy Dramlaxing!

For more information on The Girvan Patent Still visit: thegirvanpatentstill.com

 

Registration open to UK residents and over 18's only!

 

@TheWhiskyWire

 @GirvanGrain

@AncientReserves

 

Quick Fire Whisky Tasting Notes

Ailsa Bay

 

 

Nose: Bonfire ash, freshly laid tarmac, Wright’s coal tar soap, poly cement (Airfix) glue, damp hay bales, crispy smoked bacon, cayenne pepper, warm vanilla fudge, Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference lemon curd, pear drops, sugared almonds, green tea, ready rolled cake icing, Waitrose treacle tart and something rather sweet musk-esque.

 

Taste: Barbecue charred bacon rinds, coal dust, Lockets honey and lemon lozenges, linseed oil, freshly picked verbena leaves, Butterkist toffee popcorn, steamed syrup sponge pudding drenched in vanilla custard, Lindt chilli dark chocolate, mixed spice, grounds of black pepper and oodles of opulent charred oak.

 

Finish: A long, lush and lingering - sweet, smoky and spiced finish, that goes on and on and on and on…

 

Summary: A drop of pure dramming class in a glass! An outstanding very Islay-esque, cotemporary looking and traditional feeling first release from William Grant & Son’s new Lowland distillery brand. As with the Girvan and Kininvie additions to the WGS whisky portfolio over the last few years, we greatly look forward to following Ailsa Bay's progress and pouring and exploring its future whisky wares.