World Whisky Day 2015
World Whisky Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May, or May 16 this year. It was founded in 2012 by Blair Bowman, a Scottish graduate student at the University of Aberdeen and whisky enthusiast. It initially started out as a Facebook page encouraging others to enjoy a wonderful drink. It soon struck a nerve (or taste bud) and by 2014 an estimated 250,000 people participated in hundreds of events in over 40 countries including China, New Zealand and Azerbaijan.
Tullibardine 228
Nestled in the town of Blackford and surrounded by the Ochil Hills, Tullibardine (Gaelic – lookout hill) was converted from an old brewery and began distilling in 1949, making it a relatively young distillery. Blackford is a sort of gateway to the highlands, and for many years Tullibardine simply matured their offerings in sherry casks. At some point along the way, however, they have begun taking their base offering and providing a series of different finishes in the final year of aging (currently Sauternes, Burgundy and Sherry). With the Tullibardine 228, the number denotes the liters the cask held. Burgundy is not a finish seen terribly often with whiskies, so we are very curious to to see what this single malt offers. Recently, these whiskies have been discontinued and a new core range offered.
Talisker Storm
The Diageo conglomerate recently released three new No Age Statement whiskys via Talisker. The Storm is easily the most available of these, and offers a nice entry point to the Talisker brand. Scotch is partially an expression of local elements, and the dominant feature around the Isle of Skye is the sea. We heard a story about the casks for this whisky spending at least part of their maturation on a barge just off the coast, to better soak in the brine from the ocean. We like it, even if it is a tall tale. A more tactile influence on the taste is the use of rejuvenated casks, older casks that have been de-charred and recharged to give them an extended lifespan.