Hello Stonehenge………

Andy and Pete are now on Youtube with a small series of reviews. You can find us by looking for theperfectsip’s channel.

We will be offering up a random selection of our thougths on really anything so please just keep the tube….

Or just follow these links …….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-HIYlPSTCU&context=C4335750ADvjVQa1PpcFNatM4sjzIrt14hZvgaO0Ro86lGEEw6080=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktBN9dxmSZE&feature=context&context=C4335750ADvjVQa1PpcFNatM4sjzIrt14hZvgaO0Ro86lGEEw6080=

As we’re fast approaching St Patrick’s Day, we should all raise a glass of Irish whiskey to toast St Paddy on 17^th. 

Irish whiskey has to be distilled and matured for at least three years in wooden casks in Ireland to qualify for the term.  Style-wise, it tends to be a wee bit sweeter and smoother than Scottish malt, partly due to the characteristic triple distillation.  In Scotland, our whisky is usually distilled twice, and the process of distilling an extra (third) time creates a lighter, finer spirit.  Auchentoshan and Hazelburn are two examples of triple distilled whisky from Scotland.

In Ireland, there are a few distilleries that buck the triple distillation trend.  My favourite double distilled Irish whiskey is Connemara, a lovely peated malt from the Cooley distillery.

Here are three drams to seek out this weekend…

Kilbeggan (The Good Spirits Company, £22.50) is a lovely, soft blended whiskey from the oldest distillery in the world (it was established way back in 1757).

Greenore Single Grain 8 year old (Inverarity One to One, £30) entirely captures the spirit of Irish whiskey production.  It’s clean, light and refreshing as well as being incredibly moreish with a gorgeous toffee note on the finish.

Bushmills 10 year old Single Malt (Waitrose, £30.65) is a great, classic Irish malt.  It’s smooth and mellow with notes of honey, vanilla and chocolate on the palate.  Pour a large glass and enjoy with a pint of Guinness.

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