{"id":686,"date":"2016-01-22T15:46:30","date_gmt":"2016-01-22T14:46:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/?p=686"},"modified":"2016-01-22T15:46:30","modified_gmt":"2016-01-22T14:46:30","slug":"wine-whisky-wine-school-6-for-5-there-be-your-bulletpoints","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/?p=686","title":{"rendered":"Wine, Whisky, Wine School, 6 for 5 \u2013 there be your bulletpoints!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fellow Wine<\/s><\/span> Whisky Lovers,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Some hae meat and canna eat, And some would eat that want it; But we hae meat, and we can eat, Sae let the Lord be thankit.<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

It\u2019s Rabbie Burns time again.\u00a0 Monday sees the one day of the year when we all pretend to be Scottish, start talking in mock-tavish and confidently misquote poems about a Wee, sleekit, cow’rin, tim’rous beastie, <\/i><\/span>when in actual fact we should be reciting <\/span>Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o the puddin’-race!<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

And we eat.\u00a0 We eat cock-a-leekie soup, and we eat haggis and neeps and tatties, and we tell our children to stop sniggering at the soup, and we tell our children that they must try a mouthful of the great chieftain of the pudding race, that it tastes like spicy mince, and that no, we can\u2019t remember what it\u2019s made of but, my gosh, isn\u2019t it tasty, have another bite…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And we drink.\u00a0 We drink Champagne because we can and it\u2019s an excuse for an end of January celebration, we drink Sparkling Shiraz if you\u2019re name is Alex and you have really done a lot of research, we drink reds from the Rhone, and we drink whites from everywhere, and we sing and we dance and we still don\u2019t know what a Scotsman keeps under his kilt…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

But what Whisky do we drink?\u00a0 Do we have one for the toast, a different one for pouring on the haggis and a third for pontificating over afterwards?\u00a0 Of course we do, we\u2019re proper Scots tonight, it\u2019s Burns Night and tomorrow is for wimps and whimpering…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And here\u2019s what we\u2019re drinking:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Glenalmond Highland Blended Malt \u00a329.99<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

This is a blend of only Highland malts.\u00a0 Sweet and peaty on the nose showing caramel, roasted nuts and honey character.\u00a0\u00a0 The palate is spicy, displaying once again the honey and caramel character but now joined by cloves, peat and a hint of ginger.\u00a0 A medium length finish with a touch of smoke.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Finlaggan Islay Single Malt \u00a330.99<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Bottled by the Vintage Malt Whisky Company, it is a well-guarded secret as to which distillery on Islay this actually hails from.\u00a0 For a long time we thought Caol Ila, then someone suggested Lagavulin and then someone else said something else and deep discussions ensued.\u00a0 It has a full and pungent nose with a peaty earthiness and a salty ozone character you only get when faced with tumbling waves.\u00a0 The palate is dry, medium peated with a slightly medicinal sweetness and hints of tar in the background.\u00a0 A long smooth finish with burnt oak smokiness and a pleasing richness.\u00a0 It comes as no surprise to us that this is our perennial best seller.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Benromach 10 years old Speyside Single Malt \u00a336.99<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

We loved this from the off.\u00a0 Forest fruits, herby smokiness and honey\/toffee tones.\u00a0 When we added a drop of spring water the fruits came through even more including a ripe apple character and some almost sherry nuttiness.\u00a0 Soft yet complex, with a cheekily spicy finish.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Speymalt from Macallan Distillery 2006 Single Malt (bottled 2015) \u00a337.99<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Gordon & MacPhail buy the whisky and then mature it in carefully selected high quality casks.\u00a0 A touch of smoked toffee on the nose with hints of ripe citrus fruit in the background.\u00a0 The palate displays notes of beeswax, ripe apple and perhaps tropical fruit with some gentle peppery spice on the finish.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Linkwood 15 years old Speyside Single Malt (matured and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail) \u00a346.99<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

The nose is all sweet furniture polish and Oloroso sherry.\u00a0 On the palate these flavours open up with sweet summer berry fruit and some cake spice characteristics.\u00a0 Silky smooth and very long on the finish.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice Royal Brackla Distillery 1998 Highland Single Malt (bottled 2014) \u00a346.99<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

One of only three distilleries ever granted permission to use \u2018Royal\u2019 in its name due to it being the favoured tipple of King William IV.\u00a0 Sweet vanilla and exotic fruits dominate the nose whilst the palate adds some black pepper and a hit of milk chocolate on the finish \u2013 all of which serve to make it deliciously smooth and moreish.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Gordon & MacPhail Cask Strength Highland Park Distillery 2006 Single Malt (bottled 6th<\/span><\/sup><\/span> May 2015) \u00a350.00<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

A cask strength (57.9%) bottling from four first fill bourbon barrels.\u00a0 Hailing from Orkney this is one of Wayne\u2019s favourite distilleries and it\u2019s easy to see why.\u00a0 There is a lovely contrast between sweet malty fruit aromas and an underlying bonfire smokiness.\u00a0 Perhaps the perfect all-rounder, pleasing those who like peat and those who prefer fruit in equal measure.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Vintage Malt Whisky Company Coopers Choice Glenrothes Distillery 1997 Single Malt (bottled 2014) \u00a369.69<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Glenrothes is in the very heart of Speyside and this Coopers Choice is a very special bottling.\u00a0 16 years old, from cask 15715, and thus one of just 300 bottles.\u00a0 Creamy, sweet complex dark fruit and a magnificently smooth, lingering palate.\u00a0 They have done a truly excellent job here.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

MacPhail\u2019s 21 years old Speyside Single Malt \u00a369.99<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

The MacPhail\u2019s Single Malt is distilled to their order and matured in their own casks.\u00a0 The distillery of origin is a closely guarded secret (although they do own Benromach…) which, like the Finlaggan above, gives the malt an air of mystery.\u00a0 Full bodied, deep amber in colour, rich and slightly smoky, with hints of sweet sherry cask.\u00a0 A classic Speyside in truth, with raisins, smoke, leather, toffee and overripe fruit in abundance.\u00a0 A seriously good dram.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

So that\u2019s what we\u2019re drinking \u2013 which do you fancy?\u00a0 If it helps your decision making, we have the Finlaggan, Benromach, Speymalt <\/b><\/span>and<\/span> Linkwood<\/span><\/b> all open for tasting!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Last orders please ladies and gentlemen<\/span><\/span><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s the penultimate weekend of the month so a couple of things are starting to draw to a close.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

First up, our fabulous 6 for 5 deal<\/b><\/span> is entering its twilight hours \u2013 don\u2019t start February understocked, especially if you are one of the 2 million people \u2018doing\u2019 a dry January (thanks for the stats, Jacqueline) \u2013 the offer will have finished at close of play 31<\/span>st<\/span><\/sup> January, you have been forewarned.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Second, we have a few spaces left on our <\/span>Wine School which starts next Wednesday, 27th<\/span><\/sup><\/span> January<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0 You\u2019ve all read enough from us about it so I won\u2019t labour the point; suffice to say if you\u2019re tempted, the time to let us know is now.\u00a0 We\u2019re not entirely sure when we will run this again, since we might do something a bit different next term, just so you know.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Third, and not nearly as short dated as the previous two, places on our various tastings are starting to fill so I have attached the confirmed dates for you to check against your diary.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Time, please <\/span><\/span><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n

That must be it from us; we\u2019ve been going on for ages.\u00a0 We will have wine open this weekend, the white will be the Ktima Gerovassiliou Single Vineyard Malagousia 2014 \u00a319.39 <\/b><\/span>that one of us bought by accident this week \u2013 it\u2019s the posh version of the one we usually have, so you\u2019re all in for a huge treat.\u00a0 For the red, we\u2019ll crack open the <\/span>Domaine Treloar One Block Grenache 2012 \u00a311.99 <\/span><\/b>which could be a match for your haggis but is equally delicious with a broad spectrum of sausage related dishes!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Wine, Whisky, Wine School, 6 for 5<\/span><\/i> \u2013 there be your bulletpoints!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lang may yer lum reek!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fellow Wine Whisky Lovers, Some hae meat and canna eat, And some would eat that want it; But we hae meat, and we can eat, Sae let the Lord be thankit. It\u2019s Rabbie Burns time again.\u00a0 Monday sees the one day of the year when we all pretend to be Scottish, start talking in mock-tavish […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/686","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=686"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/686\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":687,"href":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/686\/revisions\/687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}