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.
CBC Radio One In Town and Out Christmas chat
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!

 

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!

The privilege of tasting Scotch AND some upcoming whisky and musical events

 I always have great intentions of posting upcoming tastings, but they often tend to sell out quickly, so the posts don't happen. There's a lot of interest in the Ottawa area in whisky tastings and education. I'm always touched by the wonderful camaraderie that results from a gathering of strangers, with shared interests in whisky education, good food and interesting company. I'm further touched by the fact that many of these events have a philanthropic element, with support for local and international social causes. I'm always up for that!
For further reflection, I was looking recently at the Scotch Whisky Association website and the Scotch export figures for 2010. Overall, Scotch exports grew 10% from 2009 to 2010. Some of the growth figures are astonishing - by value, Russia up 61%, India up 46%, the US up 19%, South Africa up 56%. By contrast, Greece and Spain, both countries with economies struggling more than some, show -26% and -15%. So, when next you raise a glass to enjoy a dram, indulge in a moment of thankfulness for the privilege.
Onwards - to more events. Last week, an eclectic group of whisky lovers gathered at DiVinos on Preston Street for another fine evening of whisky and food tasting, meeting new friends and whisky chat. The evening was mainly dedicated to some fine Single Malt Scotches, but nonetheless the Redbreast 12 year old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey from Midleton Distillery was a big favourite. My own personal favourite, shared with more than a few was a fine, cask strength, 20 year old limited edition Talisker.

There will be a fall tasting at DiVinos in October - tentatively Thursday 20th. Contact DiVinos at 
613-221-9760 613-221-9760 ext. 21 for details and reservations.
Next up, in Arnprior, a great group of people are holding a whisky tasting on Friday April 29th. This event is in support of the Arnprior Optimist Club and, with a great selection of 5 premium whiskies and food pairings, this event is a steal at $50. There are a few spots left, so if you feel like a dram to celebrate Kate and Will's wedding, or for any other reason, send me an email and I'll put you in touch with the organizers.
On Thursday May 5th, the Opimian Wine Society is hosting its first ever Scotch tasting and food pairing evening in Ottawa at the Novotel. I have to report, though, that the event sold out almost immediately, but if you're an Opimian member or a possible guest, I'm sure there will be more, based on the popularity of this one.

On Friday June 17th, the Army Officers' Mess on Somerset is holding its annual whisky tasting evening. I always showcase a different collection of whiskies at repeat events, so attendees can expect another great evening. Last year, close to 100 people had a rare old time.

On a musical note, the Savoy Society of Ottawa, purveyors of fine Gilbert and Sullivan shows since the mid 70's, is holding a unique singalong singathon Gilbert and Sullivan  Greatest Hits show on Wednesday 27th April. Read all about it here and join in the fun. The Hon. Peter Milliken, recently retired Speaker of the House of Commons, will be gracing the stage, along with many other fine singers. I'll be setting down my whisky glass (not to imply that I always have one in my hand!) to sing the part of the evil Katisha from The Mikado.

Lots going on! So much fun!


Cheers! Slainte Mhath!

What's cooking?

 Nothing brings back happier memories of a year in Ain than a beautiful tarte aux pommes. It looks deceptively simple, belying the ridiculous number of hours required to produce this delicious dessert. It's a fabulous dessert to take to a dinner club, if all you have to make is dessert. This one is waiting to be scoffed this evening, the perfect end to a dinner which is to include raclette - a Swiss cheesy/potato dish that will be just right for this cold, snowy January evening. On the wine front, the perfect wine for raclette or cheese fondue is Chasselas, sometimes called Fendant, a dry, crisp, white wine prevalent in Switzerland and sometimes (like now) available in the LCBO. For the tarte aux pommes which, by the way, is wonderful with a scoop of creme fraiche, several chilled white dessert wines come to mind - Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, a nice Riesling icewine, or the Loupiac (similar to Sauternes, but less pricey) shown in the photo. Start the evening off with a yummy appetizer and a glass of bubbly, throw in a  crisp green salad along the way, share with some good friends, and you can't go wrong.

Here's the link for the tarte aux pommes recipe I use.
http://www.joyofbaking.com/FrenchAppleTart.html
Creme fraiche is everywhere in France, but very hard to find in Ottawa. You can make it but it's fiddly, takes time and doesn't always turn out right. Ottawa Bagel on Wellington sells two kinds, and I'm busy lobbying Loblaws at South Keys to start stocking it.

Cheers and bon appetit!

It's that time of year for haggis, pipe bands and Scotch whisky.................

 Happy New Year and lang may yir lum reek!

In addition to slightly longer nights, the promise of good skiing snow and the implementation of all those resolutions, January also offers the opportunity to celebrate the life and works of Robert Burns, Scotland's well loved bard whose birth is celebrated all over the world on or around January 25th.
Burns lived and wrote in Scotland in the late 18th century and his works continue to be sung, recited and quoted on many occasions. The last verse of his song "A Man's a Man for a' that" continues to be a hopefully prescient wish for the world.
"Then let us pray that come it may     
As come it will for a' that
That man to man the world o'er
Shall brithers be for a' that."

If you have a hankering to attend a Burns Supper in Ottawa, eat some haggis, hear a pipe band, listen to some singing and tributes to Robert Burns, and dance the night away, you'll find several of them happening in various venues across the city.

Here are some details about the Sons of Scotland Annual Burns Supper, one of the largest ones in Ontario (about 300 people)..........

Burns Night: Saturday, January 22, 2011
Crown Plaza Hotel, Kent & Lyon Street, Ottawa ON
6:00pm - Midnight
Entertaiment by soloists Garth Hampson and Carol Anderson, accompanied on the piano by Saundra Vandenberg.
Tickets $60.00 ($55.00 for members). Reserved seating at tables of eight. Order via donandkaye@hotmail.com  613-521-5625.

Hope to see some of you there!

The next Scotch Tasting at DiVinos on Preston Street is on April 14th 2011. For reservations, email events@divinowinestudio.com