Louis Glunz Fall preview Tasting
After the Ligonier Highland games I traveled 9 hours to Chicago for the Louis Glunz Wines Fall preview show. I did manage to get in by 8pm and grab a bit to eat at Giordano’s Pizza. I am not a stuffed pizza fan, however, their thin crust hit the spot. So much so that I also got one to go after the show.
I quite enjoyed the show being at the famous Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse in Chicago. I got a chance to meet a few new fans of our brands which always gives a fresh skip in our step. The compliements seemed to all be themed around the opinion that our brands all have a unique depth of flavor, balance, and old world quality. Meaning that they were experienceing something in a whisky that was not thought possible. So often people’s only exposure to Scotch is either a traditional blend or high production single malt. There is nothing wrong with those brands, however, they do limit the possibilities of flavor, balance, and over all experience when they have been processed heavily with Chill Filtration, reductionto 40% alc/vol, and in some cases buckets of food grade spirit caramel.
Off to do a few sales today in the city and finishing off with a dinner invitation from a local chef.
Cheers,
Jeff
Ligonier Games 2008- 50th Anniversary
It’s Tuesday in Chicago and I have been a bit behind in getting this blog up to date. I spent a lovely few days in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania for the 50th Ligonier Highland Games held at the Idlewild Park. As usuall I did not get an opportunity to see the games or listen to the wonderful pipe bands, as my booth was in the park and not accross the bridge where the games were held. The location of the festivities is “non alcoholic” so that rules out this Scotsman.
We had rain, sun, clouds,and more rain…nothing but good scottish weather for the day. As usual we ran out of drams and had to stop pouring at 2:04pm after pouring 900 drams. Not a problem as I had to give a hand to my staff selling shirts, glassware, and books. Yes, ladies we have more “Kilt Inspector” shirts so check back to my store in the next week and we should be ready to take orders.
My biggest thanks to Dave Peet who retired this year after being with the games for all of its 50years.
Slainte,
The Wild Scotsman
Happy Birthday John McDougall
A lot of people enjoy whisky, however, very few actually get to know the ‘real people’ behind the brands (many times they do not exist). We are force fed big corporate images of people who are supposed to be important or alleged experts, however, when one digs just under the surface we find, Frauds. Tartan dolls reading the corporate bible. Today, may I introduce you all to a man who is not a fraud, a tartan doll, a self pro claimed expert, or well you get the idea.
Today is John McDougall’ s Birthday and he is one of a very small group of people who still can remember how it should be done and not how it is done today in regards to the production of traditional hand crafted scotch malt whisky. Below is just a small in sight to what this man has experienced in his life time. I say small as he continues today sharing his knowlege with those who aspire to achieve. One such group is Box Distillery in Sweden. Well as John always says, “Tasting is better than Telling” so here is a small resume of a Scotch Giant:
Read the rest of this entry »
Wild Scotsman In San Francisco
Just sitting here in Detroit, Michigan waiting on my next plane which will take me to San Francisco, California. Making a summer push to put more Bladnoch and Wild Scotsman on the shelf. Today, I will be selling as soon as I get off of the plane or check into my hotel. Wednesday, I will be heading up to Napa Valley to introduce some wine drinkers to Wild Scotsman and John McDougall’s Bladnoch. I will finish up the day with a Scotch Tasting which I am told has already been sold out. I have not been told where I will be just that I will be there. I have a wee bit of new make from our distillery School in 2007 to show off to the Bladnoch newbies. If they are really great I may even let them have a wee nosign of my new Wild Scotsman Black Label Vatted Malt. Thursday, I will be selling out side of the city (Sonoma I think)until 2300/hrs when I need to be dropped off at the airport to get my plane which leaves at 0040/hrs on Friday.
The only sun I will get will be in the car.
Selling in the Windy City
Sell…sell…selling in the Windy City, Chicago IL. It may be July, however, while the fat cats are sleeping this Scotsman is pounding the hot pavement to stimulate some Summer sales. We have added several new retail outlets and restaurants this week to our arsenal of Wild Scotsman faithful. Normally, I would give a list, however, those fat cats tend to wake and look for a bowl that does not belong to them.
Looking foreword to heading home on Friday and see the family, but until then I am enjoying Norman Conquest Cabernet Sauvignon with some deep dish Chicago Pizza.
Cheers from the Road.
McCormick & Schmick’s Tasting
Many thanks to the staff and attendees at the first Scotch tasting at the Dayton location of McCormick & Schmick’s. We had a packed house with 5 scotch whiskies and food matched and prepared by the Chef of McCormick & Schmick. We tasted the following Whiskies:
-Laphroaig 10yr
-Cragganmore 12yr
-Highland Park 12yr
-John McDougall’s 16yr Single Cask-Single Malt Bladnoch
-Wild Scotsman 15yr Vatted Scotch Malt
Being an independant bottler allows me the ability introduce a variety of whisky without having to read “The Company Cue Card”. For this event I wanted to show the variety of nose and taste in Scotch Whisky. No two brands had the same flavor, taste, or came from the same producer. It is about the whisky!
Cheers,
The Wild Scotsman
Springbank Distillery- dead bird in the mine shaft?
This past week in the Campbeltown Courier it was announced that Springbank Distillery is seeking voluntary redundancies from its staff. Looming in the background is a possible 2 year stoppage in whisky production until such times that the economic atmosphere is better suited to produce. This is a sad turn of events in the Scotch industry and Springbank may be just the begining of such actions by the smaller producers who do not have other brands to depend on. Hopefully, this wonderful distillery will not lay dormant for too long.
Read the full story at: http://www.campbeltowncourier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/4642
Distillers turn back on SWA in petition over new whisky rules
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has been condemned by nearly 1,000 signatories to an online petition designed to prevent a new Scotch whisky classification from being enforced.
The petition (www.ipetitions.com) showed around 972 objectors to the SWA’s proposal of a blended malt Scotch whisky classification, with one claimant even suggesting that the SWA is “no longer suitable” in its current role.
The petition’s creator John Glaser, blender and founder of whisky specialist Compass Box, will present the signatures to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) next month, when DEFRA is due to make a decision on the new category.
“If 1,000 objectors to the SWA’s proposals don’t convince DEFRA to revise the proposal, then something’s seriously wrong here,” Glaser told this week’s Harpers magazine out today (Friday).
According to the SWA’s critics, the introduction of a fifth, blended malt subcategory will lead to consumer confusion, with drinkers struggling to distinguish between single malts, blends of grain and malts, and blends of single malt whiskies from different distilleries.
According to Neil Boyd, the petition’s 910th signatory, the new term will make single malts suffer.
“As a recent global brand director for Dewar’s Scotch Whisky, it is clear to me that the term ‘blended malt’ will do nothing but harm the malt category,” he said.
Marketer’s Paradise
Bruichladdich managing director Mark Reynier added: “The term ‘blended malt’ is ambiguous. It’s a marketer’s paradise. It seems like a deliberate attempt by the members of the SWA –who constitute only 95% of the total number of whisky distilleries in Scotland – to increase the value of some of their blended whiskies. One also has to question whether the SWA is still a suitable organisation to propose legislation on Scotland’s future when it is not independent.”
However, David Williamson, SWA public affairs manager, said: “At the core of the proposal is ensuring that people receive clear information on what they are buying. One of the objectors to our proposals has sold a malt whisky that was sometimes called a single malt and sometimes blended malt.“It’s this kind of confusion we want to avoid.”
Harpers Magazine is available by subscription only.
View this article on our website at:
http://www.harpers.co.uk/news/5539/Distillers-turn-back-on-SWA-in.ehtml
USA Tour Has Come to an End!
It has been an extremely busy few weeks travleing to Pittsburgh-PA, Chicago-IL (as well as surrounding areas), Columbus-OH, Datyon-OH, Cincinnati-OH, and Northern-KY. We have done a tasting which raised a million dollars for charity only to sleep 3 hours and drive from Pittsburgh-PA to Chicago-IL to meet the people in the trenches of the hospitality business without even taking a shower! We hauled sample bags from the finest restaurants in Columubs-OH to the little known and finest restaurants of Tipp City-OH. We have eaten the finest food Waffle House has to offer as well as those of a 4 star steak house (not as often). I am sure many of you are wondering where our chaffered limo’s, tour bus, or first class air travel is going to be mentioned? You will not find such lavish excess in a company which runs on its own funds being pulled from the very pockets of the brands. When we entertained a dinner or bought a drink for the person next to us at the bar it really came from US! Many thanks to all of those bar, restaurant, and shop owners who have honored us with serving/selling our brands. Many thanks to you the consumer who spends their hard earned money to enjoy the quality of spirit which both John and I produce and/or bottle. We are only as good as our last bottle and we hope that you enjoy our style and our brands.
Cheers,
The Wild Scotsman
Chicago Land Tour Comes to an End
John and I are resting comfortable at my parents located at Wright Patterson Air force Base, OHIO. We drove from chicago to their house in approx 5 hours on Saturday in time for me to spend some quality time with my daughter.
This past Friday we had a great evening at the Forge Club located outside of Chicago. John and I were the feature leading the club members through 5 scotch whiskies all of which were a part of an individual food dish. This was quite a treat as they flew in Salmon from Scotland which was caught the day before. They have a 700 bottle scotch cellar, which is not listed on the web site. Basically, these bottles are anywhere from 20 to 100 years in age. The labels were all quite interesting especially all of the different “blended whisky” brands most of which I have never seen or heard off.
Many thanks to Dave Soto of Sam’s Wine -Lincoln Park for inviting both John and I to conduct educational seminars to both the public and staff about our brands, the history of Scotch Whisky, and our unique journeys in this industry. We cannot stress enough the importance of being able to meet the consumers one on one and have a very honest conversation about Scotch Whisky without the need for a corporate “cue card” dictating our presentations. In the end “Tasting Is Better Than Telling”!!
Many thanks to all of the shops, restaurants, and bars which opened their doors and their pallet to try our brands and experience ‘old world’ quality bottled and presented by the very people who created the brands. We are very confident that their is a new era not only for scotch whisky but for all brown spirits where the consumer is going to demand more from what is in their bottle and the people who present them.
This week John and I will be working the Ohio market.
Cheers,
Jeff
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