Arnprior Optimist Club Wine Tasting - a great event!

Happy New Year! And Happy Robbie Burns day.Tonight I'm delighted to be leading a Scotch Tasting for Savvy Company at Thyme and Again Exposure Gallery on Wellington Street. What a grand way to celebrate a great occasion!
Also, I've recently returned from two fabulous weeks in Chile - a country of contrasts. Check back soon. I plan to write lots about the country - and its wine!  

Meanwhile, the ARNPRIOR OPTIMIST CLUB held its first ever annual Winter Carnival wine tasting on January 21st. About 100 people had a fabulous time tasting 8 super wines, sampling excellent food by a local caterer and raising funds for a great cause. Yours truly was honoured to lead the wine tasting and meet and reacquaint with a great group of people. 
If you don't know about Optimist International, here's an excerpt from the website.
"Optimist International is an association of more than 2,900 Optimist Clubs around the world dedicated to "Bringing Out the Best in Kids." Adult volunteers join Optimist Clubs to conduct positive service projects in their communities aimed at providing a helping hand to youth. With their upbeat attitude, Optimist Club members help empower young people to be the best that they can be.Each Optimist Club determines the needs of the young people in its community and conducts programs to meet those needs. Every year, Optimists conduct 65,000 service projects and serve well over six million young people."
There's nothing more satisfying than helping a group of people have a lot of fun in aid of a great cause. Hats off to the Arnprior chapter of the Optimist Club!
Next up on their fund-raising and fun agenda is the annual whisky tasting on April 27th.
Call Chris Toner (623-1646) or Dan Perfitt (623-6790) for details and tickets. I'll be leading the tasting and hope to see a capacity crowd.

Seasonal sips and whisky gift ideas

Around our house, the Christmas season is all about gatherings with friends and family, eating, sipping, playing games, charity, music and skiing - if there's any snow! Personally, there's always an element of trying to keep it all in perspective, not going overboard with  planning, shopping and "doing", and leaving time for hanging out with no agenda - easier to say than do! Whatever your Christmas season looks like, I hope it's happy and connected, with whatever balance of peace and excitement works for you.
Click to hear a Christmas Eve chat about wine pairings and Scotches on CBC Radio One In Town and Out. Just click on "Wine pairings for Christmas dinner" and the conversation starts at 4:50 mins
On the sipping front, we like Beaus for the beer drinkers, home delivered in conjunction with Operation Come Home - what a great idea.
We like bubbly at this time of year. It's celebratory, refreshing with all that rich food,  great with appetizers and delicious in a mimosa (bubbly and orange juice) for a brunch or late breakfast. Champagne is wonderful, but there are lots of other sparkling wines available from under $15 to whatever suits your pocketbook - Cava from Spain, various Cremants from different regions of France, and a wide range from many different countries and regions - California, Ontario, Australia to name a few.
I'm excited this year to try a sparkling wine from the south of England, made in the traditional method and sold in  Marks and Spencers, indeed. But there's also some Cava at the ready, some Cremant de Bourgogne and some Californian sparkling.

I like my wines to be refreshing, with good acidity. With turkey dinner and everything on that plate - game, stuffing, sauces, gravy, numerous veggies - it makes sense for the wine selections to be very refreshing. You should drink what you like - that's the main rule of thumb. If big and jammy is your preference, then go for it! For my palate, a big range of wines work with the traditional dinner. In the white department, I'd go with Riesling, white Burgundy, white Cotes du Rhone, chardonnay, vouvray, sparkling. I wouldn't use very dry or light wines.

Robust roses work well, but my own personal favourite is a good Pinot Noir - whether a really nice Burgundy or a flavorful new world Pinot - especially from California.
This year we're drinking an Ontario Pinot Noir from Peninsula Ridge and pleased to be drinking local beer and somewhat local wine. Pinot Noir is wonderfully refreshing and not full bodied. If you like bigger wines, go ahead and drink what you love. A few suggestions would be Cotes-du-Rhone, Italian Ripasso wines, Primitivo (Italy), Zinfandel (California), Chilean Merlot.
If Christmas pudding and brandy sauce is your dessert of the day, try it with a sweet sherry - inexpensive, and filled with flavours that complement the pudding. Walnut brown or Pedro Ximenez sherry is delicious with Christmas pudding, butter tarts, pecan pie, that kind of thing. 20 year old Tawny Port is also wonderful, but in a different price league.

After that lot, you'll probably need a simple cup of mint tea, but if some nice person has given you a bottle of Scotch, perhaps a wee dram will act as a digestif before the lure of the chocolates kicks in!


And now on to a few generally available whisky and Scotch picks for every budget.........(Approximate prices provided).

Canadian whiskies
Century Reserve 21 year Old Rye Whisky  $47
Forty Creek (Ontario) - a range from $20 to $70
Glen Breton Rare Single Malt Whisky  $88

Irish whiskies
Redbreast 12 year old $47
a decent range from the Connemara brand

Bourbon
Knob Creek, Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve $45 range

Single Malt Scotch
 There are hundreds on the LCBO shelves, not all of them in every store. These are just a few suggestions........
Glenfiddich 15 year old (fruity, rich) $64
Glenlivet Nadurra 16 year old (cask strength) $82
Aberlour a'bunadh (cognac like character, cask strength) $94
Highland Park 18 year old (one of my favourites) $139
Highland Park 21 year old - expensive
Highland Park 25 year old - more expensive
Bowmore 12 year old (lightly peated) $51
Dun Bheagan Islay 8 year old (a good buy for a smoky whisky) $48
Laphroaig 10 year old (peaty, smoky) $80


Have a safe and happy Christmas and a wonderful 2012!

Cheers and Slainte Mhath!

Burns Night Scotch Tasting January 25th

On Wednesday January 25th, come out and celebrate the 253rd birthday of Robert Burns at a fine Scotch Tasting at Thyme and Again upstairs room. It'll be a grand night with premium Single Malt Scotches, accompanying appetizers, some gentle piping, some whisky chat and a few toasts in Rabbie's honour. Click this link to see the event details and to buy tickets. (Also a great idea for a special Christmas gift!)

GrapeScot on CBC radio - whisky picks for Fall 2011

The clocks have changed. It's that time of year - big sweaters, cosy fires, long evenings, rich stews, puddings. And a wee dram to warm you up.
Whether you're looking for  something different to try with friends, ideas for gift shopping, or good value whiskies, listen in and read on for some suggestions. Of course, there are thousands of whiskies out there and hundreds in the LCBO, although not all in one store, so these are just a drop in the ocean and not an exclusive list of everything I like. As with any food or beverage, personal taste is a big factor, but have fun investigating!

Listen in to hear some GrapeScot chat on CBC Radio One In Town and Out on Nov 5 2011.

  Scotch Interview Nov 2011 by GrapeScot

Some of the whiskies mentioned have interesting cask finishes - port, Sauternes, claret, Jack Daniels. I'm highlighting Glenmorangie, one of several distilleries where there has been much experimentation in this arena.  I've given some aromas and flavours that I find in the whiskies. You might detect something completely different. What fun! Almost all are available in selected stores throughout Ontario, but you might have to check out the online LCBO website to find supply,or pop into your local and they'll tell you where to find them, if they're out of stock.

• Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or, finished in Sauternes (delicious Bordeaux sweet wine) casks, notes of lemon meringue, spices, candied citrus and sultanas. About $92
• Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, finished in port casks, marmalade and after eight mints meet Turkish Delight. About $82
• Glenmorangie The Astar, finished in Jack Daniels casks. Not available in the LCBO, but if you're travelling, it's worth finding. Cask strength, elegant and lots of great aromas and flavours - fruitcake, cloves, oranges, toffees and candy.
• Springbank Claret Wood, 12 years old with 3 of those years in Bordeaux casks. Only about 9000 bottles were produced and there are only about 100 left in Ontario, so a bit of a collector's item. Perhaps there will be another bottling in due course. Another cask strength Scotch, with a  definite and not surprising reddish tint, juicy and spicy, nice berries and dried fruit, quite different. Springbank is Scotland's oldest independent distillery and one of the few that still malts its own barley. Great whiskies and worth supporting. About $100.
• A tasty, blended whisky, with a high percentage of malts in the blend - Te Bheag $37
• A pure pot still Irish whisky with notes of honey, fruit, vanilla and spice - Redbreast 12 year old $47
• The only blended malt Scotch in the Johnnie Walker collection - 15 year old Green Label, nice balance, light smoke and much more. $75
• Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky - big flavour, big strength, a gem from India. Lots of it in Ontario, not so much in Ottawa. $69
• Glenfiddich 15 year old - an elegant whisky, with soft fruits, vanilla, orange and fudge, all the more intriguing because of it's final maturation in a  solera vat system which is never emptied. $85
• Aberlour a'bunadh - cask strength and a cognac like quality, this will warm you up on the coldest of nights. $94
• For the peat lovers - Laphroaig Quarter Cask. Special finishing in small barrels changes the taste of an Islay favourite. Laphroaig with toffee! $65

And now for one of my absolute favourite Scotches from one of my absolute favourite distilleries. Here are my tasting notes on the Ardbeg Uigeadail to give you some idea of how much I like it!
Amber gold in colour. Outstanding nose – a lovely peaty smell, like sitting by a fire in an Islay cottage – gentle though, not overwhelming or medicinal; a slightly salty sea smell; then malty sweetness, scrumptious fruitcake, caramel toffee, dates, smooth sherry, mead, leather, sandalwood. The taste is smooth, luscious and fiery. Initially sweet, with fruit cake, toffee and molasses, followed by smoked, barbecued food. Warm and deep with a spicy kick. The finish is endless - luscious, full bodied, sweet and dry, with honey and molasses. A beautiful balance of malt and peat. Exceptional. With water, more earthy, boggy and peaty on the nose and palate. A dram to remember! Look out for it if you're travelling.

And here's another one to seek out in Duty Free stores. From the most northerly mainland distillery in Scotland, this one was Jim Murray's pick for World Whisky of the Year 2012 - he drinks ahead of time! Comes with an ill fitting stopper but, as you can see by the amount left in my bottle, that shouldn't be much of a problem. A distinctive dram from a great distillery.

Slainte Mhath!

Bachelor Party Scotch Tasting - by candlelight!

It was a cold and stormy night..............an appropriate beginning to this very atmospheric bachelor party Scotch tasting. The hosts had only recently moved into a new home, so wonderful candlelight replaced the not yet installed dining room light. A group of nine enthusiastic tasters enjoyed five great Scotches with equally great food. The groom is a fan of smoky whiskies, so Islay was well represented, with the Laphroaig Quarter Cask and (one of my absolute favourite drams) the Ardbeg Uigeadail. As it happens, it was a cold and stormy night - easily forgotten with a good dram in hand, fine food on the table and the anticipation of a wedding the following day. Congratulations to Mark and Gillian. Lang may yer lum reek!

 

A cosy fire, a wee dram and music to stir the soul

Recent Scotch Tastings, and some happy tasters' comments.

Divino's Scotch Tasting SOLD OUT. Contact Divino`s to reserve for the next one.
 
Summer's going by way too fast! As always, Ottawa's a real treat in the summer - festivals, outdoor patios, backyard gatherings with friends, sipping wines or sharing a wee dram late at night. Speaking of drams, there were some fun Scotch and whisky tastings over the summer months. Check out Barb's comments on the first ever Opimian Society of Ottawa Scotch tasting. Close to 100 tasters attended the event.

In June a group of about 80 enjoyed a fun filled tasting evening at the beautiful Army Officers Mess on Somerset. This has become a regular sellout event. Featured whiskies were from three of the five official  Scotch regions - Speyside, Campbeltown and Islay, as well as a couple of gems from Ireland and India.

Here's what Paul had to say about a whisky tasting to kick off a weekend Bachelor party...........

"We hired Carol's services to host a scotch tasting event to kick off a bachelor party.  Carol was engaged right from the start, listening to our existing preferences and helping us build both a scotch list as well as a food menu that was a hit.  She is an excellent communicator and always answered email questions promptly and cheerfully.  She came well prepared for the scotch tasting, with handouts and a presentation. Her easy-going approach was very much appreciated as she was happy to answer any and all of the many questions we had, and allowed us to proceed at our own pace while regaling us with tales about the various liquids.  She made learning about the scotches fun (not to mention delicious), and I would not hesitate to hire her services again."

These were just a few of the summer wine and whisky events. Trips to Boston (Harvard law graduation), Delaware (new friends and family and a singing dog!), New York State (Glimmerglass Opera Festival), and a terrific 2800km trip to the Saguenay and Gaspesie filled a good chunk of the rest of the time. 
Who knew there were so many whales out there!
 

If you fancy a Scotch in the near future, there are a couple of public tastings on the horizon. The historic Watson's Mill in Manotick is the location for a great whisky tasting with food pairings on September 23rd. Contact Isabelle Geoffrion for tickets and information. Divino Wine Studio on Preston Street is the location for a wonderful October 20th tasting of fine Scotches and Whiskies paired with delicious tasting plates. Click the link for reservation details. 
We're always delighted to receive requests for private and Corporate wine and Scotch tastings, big or small, and we'll work with you to tailor an event to suit the occasion.
Meanwhile, enjoy the rest of summer!