It’s black armband day in 121….no one has died but we have learned that the shipment of David Franz Red Rose and Shiraz we carried in yesterday is the last to grace these shores. I’m afraid that David has become the victim of his own success and will no longer be importing to Britain…..well not via our importer.

If you love the wines please contact David at his website http://www.david-franz.com/ he may deliver………himself….

And David, if you’re reading this, thank you so much for producing such  a great wine. We’ve had great fun selling it and………er….sampling it ourseleves. We wish you all the best for the future and if you’re ever in non-sunny Glasgow we owe you a large dram or a fight or both.

Many thanks,

Andy & Pete

Luckily I found these three bottles of Laphroaig and though game on! Three different expressions from the same Distillery and with two sitting at 48%abv and one at 50.5%abv this could be one fun afternoon.

Firstly Laphroaig is from the southern edge of Islay and is the first of three Distilleries that you meet on the road from Port Ellen heading to Kildalton….the other two being Lagavulin and then Ardbeg. Laphroaig has always had the reputation of ‘love it or hate’ due to its pungent aromas of peat and seaweed……..luckily I love it.

Glass 1 – Laphroaig Quarter Cask(48%): This bottle has been out for over 6 years and is available in a good number of supermarkets(as well as some specialist whisky shops – but not yet in 121). It was made around the fact that whisky matures at a faster rate in smaller casks so by transferring some Laphroaig with no age statement in to Quarter Casks(around 125 litres) the whisky will be ready sooner………and to taste……Bang a sweet hit of peat just rushes up the nose and shakes your brain around. It calms down when your ready for it and has elements of dried moss, herbs and more of that sweet peat note that is currently lingering around the shop. On the palate the peat comes through strong and smooth, it rises and builds on your tongue rather than jumps at it. The finish is incredibly long……..

Glass 2 – Laphroaig-18 year-old (48%): This one was released to replace the Laphroaig-15 year-old which was one of my favourite drams and well worth a try if you see any left. After the rush of the Quarter Cask this one is more laid back on the nose, the peat and dried seaweed is there but I also get a menthol note and something that reminds me of home cooking that I just can’t put my nose on right now.  On the palate it’s a lush, rich, beautifully balanced malt. They have sacrificed some peat but the way it rises and falls, starts dry and then makes your mouth water is truly lovely. I could drink quite a few of these but onto the next one…..

(Glass of water first…..)
Glass 3 – Laphroaig Cairdeas Ileach Edition 2011 (50.5%) This bottle was put together by John Campbell, the first Islay born Laphroaig Master Distiller, and was released during the Feis Ile 2011. Using a number of different aged Laphroaigs but all from Bourbon casks(all Maker’s Mark) he has managed to create an even sweeter style of Laphroaig.  Despite the higher abv it doesn’t have the same rush up the nose but has a really oaky, vanilla sweetness, with the peat just hanging around the back. To taste it has a great sweet/salty character that is just battling to be the most dominate flavour, more sweetness and the peat is so well integrate you sometimes forget its there.  If any of you out there have this at home(opened) then I suggest trying this one with dark chocolate for a perfect combination. 

So in conclusion Laphroaig = Great(but only if you love the peaty malts). I honestly thought that the Quarter Cask and the Cairdeas 2011 would be fighting it out for my favourite but I have to say the award goes to the 18 year-old!

Also the art in the back ground is by our current artisted of the moment Omar and will be on display until the end of March, and the bangles and other cool stuff in the picture is by Omarina……both art and design items are available to buy so come in and see you at 185a Bath Street.

Cheers,
Andy

It’s been a mental Christmas and New Year for us here in the shop.  Sorry that we’ve not been able to update the blog but the needs of the customers comes before the need of the blog.

Since we last spoke to you we have been flooded with a range of new wines, spirits, whiskies and cigars. Here is a wee a sample of some of whats new. Some are very limited quantities so give us a buzz if you wish to reserve any – 0141 221 5121.

Fizz
Perrier Jouet Blason Rose £51.99
Ayala Rose Majeur £31.99
Louis Roederer Rose 2006 £60
Peter Lehmann Princess Moscato (50cl) £8.99

Spain
Valduerp 6 anos 2002 £37.99
Ardiles Priorat 2004 £25.99
Castillo Perelada Rosado 2009 £8.99

Italy
Cusumano Nerlot 2009 £6.99
Cusuman Grecanico 2009 £6.99
Cusumano Benuara 2009 £12.49 (Nero D’ Avola/Syrah)
Zenato Valpolicella 2009 £9.99
Flaccianello Della Pieve 2005 £47.99
Isole e Olena Cepparello 2004 £42.99
Friuli Pinot Grigip 2009 £11.99

Burgundy
Gevery-Chambertin Les Murots Domaine du Clos Frantin Albert Bichot 2007 £24.99
Domaine Millot Meursault-Charmes Premier Cru 2008 £36.99

Loire
Sancerre Archambault 2010 £16.99
Sancerre Rouge ” Les Baronnes” Henri Bourgeois 2006 £18.99

South of France
Domaine St. Hilaire 2007 £8.49
Tariquet Sauvignon 2010 £8.99
Tariquet Classic Ugni Blanc-Colombard 2009 £6.99
Domaine du Mage Merlot-Syrah 2007 £7.99
Les Montivels Cuvee Tradition Rouge £5.49

Bordeaux
Ch. Pedesclaux  Pauillac 2006 £27.99
Ch. Brown Pessac-Leognan 2005 £24.99 – its white!
Ch. Anthonic Medoc 1999 £15.99

South Africa
Franschoek Cellar Old Museum Merlot 2010 £6.49

Australia
Mount Bold shiraz Cabernet 2010 £11.99
Gilligan Little Brother Shiraz Mourvedre Grenache 2010 £11.99
Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz 2003 £29.99
Wirra Wirra Woodhenge Shiraz 2007 £16.99
Wirra Wirra Dead Ringer Cabernet 2005 £29.99
Wirra Wirra The Lost Watch Riesling 2008 £11.99
Wirra Wirra Scrubby Rise Unwooded Chardonnay 2009 £10.99
Fox Creek Chardonnay 2010 £11.99
Dowie Doole G & T 2010 £15.99 (Garnacha & Tempranillo)
Claymore Wines Joshua Tree Riesling 2010 £13.99
Peter Lehmann Mentor Cabernet 2006 £18.99

USA
Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay 2009 £10.49

New Zealand
Old Coach Road Pinot Noir 2010 £9.49

Portugal
Callabriga alentejo 2007 £11.99
Gazela Vinho Verdre 2011 36.99

Sweet Wine
Moulin Touchais 1991 £28.99

Port & Sherry
Ramos Pinto LBV £16.99
Fernando de Castilla Fino £10.99

Whiskies
Glan Grant-10 year-old £27.49
Nikka From The Barrel £32.49
Nikka Pure Malt White Label £35.49

and for the cigars……I’ll leave for another blog.

Watch this space and keep sampling……….the perfect sip is but a glass away.

We were sent this bottle as an advance sample of a wine we will be getting in for Christmas and we were made even happier when we saw that the name is Jekyll & Hyde Shiraz/Viognier!!  

It’s as deep and dark as they come, and it’s almost inky black in the glass.  At 15% ABV, it’s no shrinking violet but the balance is wonderful.  The viognier adds a perfumed lift to the shiraz, making for a smoother wine in your glass.  Lovely stuff.

For our first bottle we’re starting with an easy going white…Maxwell Little Demon Verdelho 2010 from McLaren Vale, 12.9%abv.

Named after a very famous ‘thought experiment’ by James Clerk Maxwell(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell’s_demon), the Little Demon is a fresh and fruity wine that is full of pineapple and grapefuit through and through with a clean and refreshing finish.

Serve with human brains and some blood………..

Today we’re trying SMWS 33.109 (From Islay, rhymes with egg). This one is 11 years old and from an Ex-Sherry Refil Butt. Again no colouring or chill filtration and bottled at 55.6%.

Without water the nose is thick and dense but filled with smoke, peat and promise – you may spot a small bit of Islay bias in this blog. I’m also getting some sweetness and tabacco. On the palate its sweet and creamy, the higher abv is present but doesn’t over ride the flavours. The finish isn’t that long but that is only one small criticism in a sea of awesomeness.

With water the nose is sherry sweet with a peaty core -the peat is that lovely end of a fire style – not to much in your face but just the right amount.  And to sip it is so smooth that you could use this for a sore throat(well that’s my excuse). Sweet, peaty, creamy and with a very long finish this is one of malts of the year. I’m going to try really hard to hang onto the small sample that I have left and give it a try with a cigar – if the weather ever improves that is.

If only the SMWS had a bar in Glasgow!

Cheers,
Andy

The weather outside is frightful….so open a bottle of whisky and forget about it!

I was very lucky to be given some samples from the SMWS new releases and asked to give my thoughts. Who am I to refuse….

First up is 77.20 (Distillery clue – rhymes with Ordie and comes from Speyside) a 23 year-old from a Ex-Bourbon Refill Hogshead, bottled at 57.2%abv.

For those of you who don’t know who the Scotch Malt Whisky Society are I suggest that you visit there website http://www.smws.co.uk/. They specialise in releasing single casks, at cask strength with no colouring and no chill filtration. Rather than name the Distillery on the bottle they have a series of codes that relate to the Distillery. 

But back to 77.20 – This is from a Distillery that I seem to always end up with a bottle of in the house(another clue it is near Inverness and has it’s own maltings) mostly the 12 year-old and I find an easy drinking fruity malt that I would probably not order if I was out at a bar. 

Without water the nose is soaked in spirit and hard to pull any flavour from other than tropical and spicy. To sip it is an experience in overpowerment – anytime a flavour starts to form the drying alcohol comes and sucks it away. This monster needs some water….

Now thats more like it….the nose is beautiful, a lovely balance of melons, apricots, sweet oranges and some dried cloves and cinnamon. The palate carries on these flavours but with more pronuncment of the dried spices. A long sweet lush finish and a big  smile on my face.  

If your interested in joining the SMWS please visit there website http://www.smws.co.uk/ and watch this space for more reviews.

Cheers,
Andy

Sorry it’s been a while but we’ve been so busy here in the shop and the tastings never seem to end. To help you plan out the rest of the year we decided to plan all our customer tastings up until December.

If you are interested in attending any of these tastings please call us on 0141 221 5121.

OCTOBER Wednesday 19th, 7pm, £20 – Step Up Tasting
We wish this was our idea for a tasting but all credit to one of our wonderful customers. We’ll be showcasing of a selection of wines and their ‘Big Brothers’..for example Chablis followed by Chablis Grand Cru or Crianza then Grand Reserva. You get the idea. We’ll be picking the wines closer to the date so we can offer up a few surprises.

OCTOBER Tuesday 25th, 7pm, £15 -Blind Tasting
Time for Pete and Andy to challenge you to an evening of excellent wines ALL served blind. Leave your expectations at the door and immerse yourself in a vinous delight.

NOVEMBER Tuesday 1st, 7pm, £10 – World Tour of Wine
Come and join Pete and Andy as they take you on a whistle-stop tour of the world of wine. We’ll be visiting old friends and meeting new ones as we travel across the globe. Please note there will be no Frequent Flyer Miles given out!

NOVEMBER Wednesday 9th. 7pm, £15 – Pete Vs Andy
Like Kirk versus Khan this will be a battle of wits, knowledge and just down right cheating as Pete and Andy present their favourite wines of the year – you have been warned there will be blood (no not really just wine).

NOVEMBER Tuesday 22nd, 7pm, £15 – 121 Wine Awards
As your award-winning wine shop  we thought it was only right for us to nominate our top wines of  the year. We have invited all the stars of Glasgow along..well the Sunday Herald Wine Writer. You can join him and see who takes away all the awards at this glittering occasion. 

DECEMBER Tuesday 13th, 7pm, £15 – Christmas Tasting
DECEMBER Tuesday 20th, 7pm, £15 – Christmas Tasting
The perfect wines for Christmas all laid out for you BUT we promise no carol singers (unless she buys a ticket), no mince pies, no tinsel and no stress! We will be showing the same wines at both nights.

Hopefully we’ll see you at some of these events,

Pete & Andy

Tam's Drams er Dram!

Ever one to try something new we were able to get our hands on a wee taste of Tam’s Drams Inaugural bottling. 

Tam’s Drams is a specialist whisky shop located in the West End of Glasgow…….just opposite the Ben Nevis Bar which is worth popping into if your in the area.   

As for the whisky it’s a Linkwood-21 year-old, distilled 4th April 1989 and bottled 1st August 2010 from Cask No. 1829 (only 260 bottles have been released) and bottled at 53.1% abv.

On the nose its clean, fresh fruit and slightly creamy.  There is a really lovely complexity that lets you know you have something special in the glass.  On the palate I get the sweetness form the oak, dried spices and the abv is just right to give your tongue that lovely tingly feel.

With water the nose is more intergrated and the fruit is more pronounced, I get melons and tangerines. There is still a lovlely creamy, easy going nature to the nose. The palate is amazing and works its way from sweet candy apples through to a slightly bitter oak finish. Complex, balanced and structured. This one definitely has the inverarity121 seal of approval.

This really is an exceptional dram and at only £59 a bottle a very affordable dram too. The only problem that I can see is that Tam might have a challenge to get hold of something this good for the 2nd bottling.

If your interested in getting hold of a bottle then vist Tam’s website http://www.tamsdrams.com/ for contact details.