Whisky Diaries and Ravings

03#1 - 2003-07-28

Influenced by Johannes van den Heuvel and his Liquid Log, I feel it's time I start to do some writing as well.

It hasn't been a full year yet since I took the odd turn from the path of absolutism and accepted the part of alcohol in my life - the alcohol being that of single malt whisky. ( I have tried other kinds too now, but single malt is the pinnacle. ) Not that I do not drink neither beer, nor wine - I cannot stomach tannines and I have no liking what so ever for bitter flavours.

From very early on I became a sort of collector, I guess mostly to find a kind I liked better than the rest. I also thought I'd "finish" one region first, tasting/owning one bottle from every distillery. The region I chose to start with was the Islands (apart from Islay).

Currently in my collection I have:

Arran (OB)
Highland Park 18 y.o. (OB)
Old Man of Hoy 10 y.o. (Blackadder Highland Park, single cask)
Scapa 12 y.o. (OB)
Talisker 10 y.o. (OB)
Tobermory 10 y.o. (OB)

As I didn't specify anything else, I would have to call this a mission accomplished from a collectors point of view. From a drinkers point of view, the Arran malt remains unopened. I also feel that Ledaig is probably missing, to really be satisfied here.

My first encounter with Islay wasn't the best one. Everyone seemed to be talking Laphroaig, so that is what I went for. Honestly... the standard ten is not to my liking, so I could have thrown the whole of Islay out with tha bathing water. Fortunately I read a review of Bunnahabhain so I realized there was more to Islay than smoked iodine. Today also my "one from each" collection of Islay is completed.

Ardbeg TEN (OB)
Ardbeg 11 y.o. 1991 SC (Symposion)
Ardbeg 17 y.o. (OB)
Bowmore 10 y.o. 1992 SC (Symposion)
Bowmore 12 y.o. (OB)
Bowmore Darkest (OB)
Bruichladdich Fifteen (OB)
Bunnahabhain 12 y.o. (OB)
Caol Ila 13 y.o. 1993 (SigV)
Caol Ila 18 y.o. (OB)
Lagavulin 16 y.o. 5cl miniature (OB)
Laphroaig 10 y.o. (OB)

The Ileach (Symposion?)

A nitpicker would call for a Port Ellen as well, I could reserve myself by saying the collection is the running ones. One will come in time, I'm sure.

Also, if choosing not to count Longrow, I can also call Campeltown completed. Now, for the rest of the regions it's not as easy... it'd have to be one of the smaller... say Northern Highlands... or I'll have to find another project.

03#2 - 2003-07-29

Another interesting marker is that I will be reaching the 52 new malts tasted on my first year. A feat I am pretty sure I will never do again.
Since I'm not a heavy drinker, I will have to refrain to open so many new ones. While I doubt I'm knowing enough to notice if my malts are degrading from oxidation, I've read enough to consider it as a possible problem. Having spread my graces over so many bottles, I can't say I know how high my consumption really are. What I do know is that I have had a dram on at least 105 occassions so far by checking one of the piggybanks. [More about my moneysystems later] and that would make me guess it is around 3-5 bottles/year... thus it would take 7-11 more years to empty them at current rates (not counting when friends help out).

What I plan on doing is, starting with the ones that have been consumed the most from and that are least likely I'll substitute with an identical one and desire to open up "right away" - finish them off and substitute them with other bottles instead of getting a new one. The first one to become empty will probably be the Aberlour 10 (OB). I already have a substitute bottle for this one as it's one I like. But I don't feel I will be in a rush to open a new one. The A'bunadh sits unopened and waiting, and I'm also curious to test the 15 y.o. and other versions - if I can get hold of them. There's about 10 to 15 cl left in the bottle as of today.

The second one to go will most likely be the Glenfiddich 12 (OB). It's not bad, I like the pear note, but it's "spirity" and rather single minded. It might be a good conversational malt on the porch summertimes, but if I want a Fiddich in the collection at all times, right now my pick is the Solera. I plan on grabbing a Caoran and a Havanna when I can to see what they have to offer. Pity they don't sell them in the 20cl like their 3-pack with 12,15 & 18. Anyway... a malt for the outdoor summer evenings I can pick a handfull others anyway.

The Macalllan 12 need no push to disappear on it's own, so I can leave that one on it's own. The 18 (1984) is a pity if it would go worse, but I haven't had so much of it that it contains a larger volume of air yet... so after the Fiddich is gone, I'd have to dip my tongue into those I seldom care for... like the Highland Park 18, or Edradour. The Laproaig might just become better oxidized, so it can stay in the shameful corner awaiting those guests that love it without reservations.

03#3 - The money system

I realized right from the start that if I was drinking from many bottles in parallell, they would end up empty around the same time and if I wanted to replace them then, it would be a lot at once. As I'm a big fan of running my economy on Machiavellan principles, I came to the conclusion that if I pay for my drinks, then I'd already saved up for a new bottle when the old was finished (not conting inflation). Thus I have a list of cl-prices on the inside of the bar cabinet and I measure what I pour. I have a collection of coins to pay with that I put into a glass jar. Now and then I empty out the glass jar and convert the coins into bills.

Secondly... I am afraid that I'd drink too much, so to make the threshold higher, I have another piggybank (actually a paper tube from a blended scotch I picked out of the carton recycling bin for this purpose) that I put a 5 crown coin (half a euro approx) every day I've had a drink. This of course has the benefit that I can easily check how often I have been drinking. What I will use the money for I do not know... Liver transplant?

Thirdly... In my normal household... or more accurately complete budget, I have an allowance for adding new bottles to the collection. Most of the year it's been at 50 Euro but after some other "accounts" in the budget has gone down (for instance - taking a break with eyelenses as I didn't use them often enough... and have gotten quite the stock now) it's been upgraded to 70 Euro. Though, when I get extra income - it's been known to go here too.. *grin*

03#4 - Purchases in August

Although not there yet when writing this, it's already on it's way. Yesterday I went by my main sources for whisky, same one as everyone in Sweden of course but the one on my way between the office and the central station.

I got my favourite bloke there, the only one that I've gotten the feeling he has any personal knowledge of malts. He wondered what it might be this time, if I had it in or not... Nope, nothing from the standard assortment today, just to put in an order:

Longmorn 15 y.o. (OB)
Jameson 1780 Reserve (OB)

I wondered if he'd scoff as he did when I bought a Powers Gold, but no. He just wondered what I thought about the Powers. Most likely the bottles will be there new wednesday - the 6th.
I also asked him about the Lagavulin 16m as I can no longer see it as frequently on the shelves or on the webpages they have. He said they were getting their orders for new ones cancelled most of the time, but the comp said they had a dozen coming in soon. So it's semi-critical I guess. First I'll check in Copenhagen, 10% less is worth the risk I think.

I'm also going through the two shops I know in Copenhagen with a fine toothed comb. There are quite a few really nice things, but above 70 euro a bottle my purse starts squeeling. Also I don't really know exactly how much money I'll bring. I do have for one of the cheaper bottles left from last visit and if I'm close to having emptied the Fiddich, there is another "free" one. I'm tempted by Johannes' St. Magdalene, that's for sure... and the Springbank 21 has gotten a magical reputation (= disappointment guaranteed)... but there's also a Macallan 1861 and the 25y.o. at better price than here.... Oh... why can't I have a penny for every dollar Bill Gates makes?

03#5 - 2nd of August - Friends, movie and whisky

Some of my friends and I ventured out to a slightly off the mainstream movie theater and watched the movie "Secretary" together. Quite different to say the least and a lot of chuckles and giggling - both during and afterwards. It was a lovely summer evening of almost mediterranean temperatures and people were sitting outside all the pubs 'til late in the evening... in one place some guys with guitars where performing spanish music of the "Gipsy Kings"-kind, which only added to the atmosphere.

We went to a pub called "Bishop's Arms", which has a quite nice whisky range, though I find the prices at pubs expensive to the brink of offensive... Perhaps 4 times higher price per centilier for the Ardbeg "Lord of the Isles" is to be expected, but I will not pay 9 euro per cl for it. I did find one that I have been searching the shops for, the Ben Nevis 10yo 46% (OB), so I had a dram of that even if it was the price of a good meal.

I can't claim my nose was in very good order, as I'm having a hard time with pollen (mugwort) at the moment, but at least one side of the nose wasn't blocked. The scent was nice and I did pick up the chocolate I'd read about, so no disappointment there. I did not remember it was 46% though, but that I noticed rather quickly but fortunately it did not react badly to a splash of water. The chocolate was also prominent in the taste and all in all a nice dram. Being social at the same time and having no pen & paper at hand, there is not much more I can say about it. A preliminary rating at 72 I've put at it and I will not give up searching for a bottle of it.

03#6 - 7th of August - Annoying database

It's happened before... that the online database for our monolpoly "Systembolaget" was wrong. Either that whiskies showed as existing in some shops had been sold and not removed, or that I managed to find more when searching for a certain distillery than when listing it in total... Since last monday another kind of error seems to have been showing. A major and annoying one - the return of a Major... the return of... Springbank 21!

It was with doubt I ventured to my nearest shop... and it seems my fear was founded... for them it still registered as out of stock and not possible to order. Oh, well... I can still spring for it in Copenhagen if I rob a bank. (Bad pun, I know!) But it would've been nice to get one 37% cheaper...

I've mailed them and ask them to either supply a correct ordernumber for it, or to be kind and move it back to whatever obscure corner of the database it had been hiding in before when it did not show up...

03#7 - 13th of August - Wednesday is better than Friday...

Not that they have fixed the database yet, but at the moment I think I understand it better than they do themselved. *laugh*

Anyway, my two orders have arrived, so I went down to Malmö to pick them up. I'm still on the summercard for the trains for a few days more, so the trip was for free. Checked the net to see if the store had anything more fun at home and I found both a Bowmore Mariner, which I'd tasted at a friends' and found to be very good and a new one that I've been sold about through their site commercials... the Isle of Jura NAS Superstition. With some money back on the taxes I opted for one of them... the Superstition. Very nice packaging and bottle - but beware when putting the bottle back in the carton... the Ankh isn't that permanently attached to the bottle.. Now I did manage to bend the arm back in place again. *grin*

03#7 - 15th of August - Or maybe not (regarding last title)

Friday... going to Lund to have a walk on town with a lady friend. Mostly tagging along with her shopping, but also filling up my supply of espresso coffee; Lavazza Oro, Café Mauro and Segafredo. No I'm not a coffee maniac, not yet anyway... but I do have a tongue and a nose, so let's use it.

Having lunch at an Italian Deli named "Spot" after the kilo principle... pick a little of everything and pay by weight. As always a combination of diaster and excellence. Notice that the closest the had to whisky was standard Jameson. No blended scotch at all!! Oh, well... I wouldn't have had something there anyway, the girl is on medication so she can't drink at the moment, but otherwise she enjoys single malts as much as I do. Had a nice chat about whisky over the food at least. She's an Edradour fan and and an Island girl.

After waving her off at the bus, I went into the monopoly and picked up two "rare" bottlings... It's not something you can find outside Sweden... Our biggest buyer of Wine and Spirits (which is also what they're called "Vin och Sprit") give out a bottle now and then from casks the Master Blender has stumbled upon in a series called Part Nan Angelen ...the Angels' share... I have a brilliant Teaninich since before and now I picked up a Banff 1975 (27 years) and a Fettercairn 25 years. A little over 170 Euros for the pair. I can only hope that they are as good as rumoured when I finally decide to open them. As far as I know, the only remaining P.N.A. available on the market right now is an Inchmurrin, but that's even more expensive if my memory serves me right... around 120 Euros or so...

Now I will start planning my next shopping trip to Copenhagen to burn the remaining money on my tax return...

03#8 - Copenhagen Shopping Spree

Whisky excursion is a rather fun thing to do when the pocketbook is filled enough not to worry about it. Copenhagen whiskyshopping has one downside... the two shops I like is too far apart, so it's a long walk especially when carrying a lot. This time praticality prevailed over looks and I wore track shoes instead of normal shoes. I think it's ugly, but last time I had periostea pains for half a week afterwards...

I think I was more in a vacation mood too, I have a tendency to walk at top pace when going between places... it's the standard golf pace. Copenhagen tends to frustrate, as that pace isn't the same as all the other people use... The weather wasn't too good either and that did empty the streets a bit, to my benefit.

First shop, Juul's, with the target of Johannes Favourite... the UDRM bottling of 1979 St. Magdalene... I went over the shelves in the whisky basement and couldn't find it... so I started to think it was yet another case of not-updated webpage, as it was with the Talisker Distillers Edition last time, but I asked and after they too having gone over the basement they finally found it upstairs somewhere. Having found that one, I knew I had to pass on the Springbank 21yo, no matter the pull it has on me... otherwise I'd just have to pick that one too and go back home and that wasn't my plan. Deciding on a second bottle in this shop... reasonable weight and size for my backpack when going to next place... I went over the shelves again. The Midleton Very Rare was the 2001, not the 2002 I wanted so I passed on that one. Glenmorangie Traditional? No, too expensive if I don't like that one better than the others I tried. Macallan 25, or Elegancia? Nah... even though I collect Macallan... today I felt for new things. Japanese whisky... no way. Edradour Cask Strength... slightly cheaper than in the next shop? Ok. I really want this one... the decanter is lovely and it's such a wonderful deep red color... almost a work of art.

Picked a new place to eat... a bar of sorts -decorated as in the colonial africa days. While the menu had moviestar names?!? Ok... I do not need to understand. The call out for my burger meal was "Food for lion", that was more like it. Sat below a rhino wall trophy and the burger was very good.

Took a new street to the other shop - part of the fun actually... Copenhagen has always been one shopping street and the amuzementpark Tivoli... Now I'm finding nice shops and a lot more when walking back streets instead. Found one shop with things for Live roleplaying and such... that had very nice sculptures and candleholders and similar with dragons and gargoyles. That will have to be another excursion.

Kjaer&Sommerfelt is always difficult to decide what to buy... sensory overload. The "whisky of the month" was sold out, so no taste and potential buy of Glenkeith this time. Cardhu 12 yo OB I'd passed on the last two times, so this time it was coming with me. Strathisla 12yo OB also was a rather easy pick. Then it became harder... There was the Murray McDavid Mission Range whiskies, though a touch pricey and I haven't tasted the standard whiskies from most of them... Talking to one of the salesguys I found out that even being a major city, they don't really sell many bottles in that pricerange, so I decided they might be still there next time. Same with the Ardbeg 1977 and a Signatory Port Ellen. Getting another two normal MurMacs then? Sure, I can take two... but which two? Rosebank? Yes... and another. Got to taste the Cragganmore, but that one did not sing to me... Macallan? Nah... Ardbeg? No, next time... I'll take just one MurMac and then let's have fun... not just "collectors bottles". I swiped an Auchentoshan NAS ThreeWood OB... can be a disaster or a revelation... and one that I like... ah... Glen Garioch 21yo OB has a nice price and a lovely package... That's 5 bottles here and two in the other place... 4.9 litres... just a fraction short of what I can bring home - both customswise and weightwise.

Sure, it's a lot of money for one day... and perhaps both collector/whiskymania.. but probably a bit therapy-shopping as well. It could be worse... I have safely tucked away half the tax money for next car... and I have a little left for the rest of my vacation.

03#) - 6th of September - SummerTour final

Golf season coming to a close - at least our competition season. The sixth and final round of this years SummerTour, this time at the excellent Vasatorp Golfclub outside Helsingborg. For once neither me nor my friend Henrik were driving there, so I got an SMS from him early that he had filled his pocket flask. Inspired - and I must confess I'd already been thinking of trying a sip on the course - I brought my half-full miniature bottle of Dalwhinne 15yo OB.

The weather was wonderful, sun out and temperature up once again. Just a fraction of wind. We went out in the first ball, as we were last in the results... Backtee... And Henrik opens with a birdie directly on the first hole, so we have a sip already on 2nd tee. Henrik offered MacLeod's 8yo Lowland. Claimed to be single malt, but more likely a vatting. Seemed a bit more Speysidy than a lowland, but very nice. Could be that the lowland came more into it's own outdoors than in a more proper testing... but I found it nicer out there than any of the previous MacLeod's in the series.

Actually... I think I preferred it over my Dalwhinnie!