The KOTQ

Sam’s is having a business-is-slow (my editorial comment) SALE this weekend. Fri-Sunday in both stores. They are not publishing what’s on sale–like they usually do. Maybe a good chance to pick up some deals.

I found a great whisky resource. It’s great on a number of levels. First, it’s a website published by whisky retailer Lock Fyne in Inveraray Scotland. The owner publishes new whisky as he gets it so it’s a great way to learn about what’s new as it hits the market. He also publishes a VERY insightful and informative twice-yearly newsletter he calls Scotch Whisky Review. He also ships to the US, including small format bottles (miniatures, 20cl and half bottles) great for sampling. The catalog. The site has no ads. If anyone is looking for something special maybe a combined order could be placed–he has WAY MORE whisky there than what gets imported into the US. Ardbeg – Lord of the Isles 25yo, Lagavulin 1988 16yo Distillers Edition, Highland Park 13 yo cask strength anyone? anyone?

Here are some interesting spreadsheets that, in part, may be helpful. They are a little outdated but stuff like distillery water source, location, region, district, date opened, current status, pronouciation, # stills, name derivation may be some good things to add/update our distilleries pages. And as a bonus the .xls should make for easier database populating.

File A
File B

Quietly Littlemill has disappeared from retail shelves. Like an extinct species it’ll never return. It stopped production in 1994 and a fire in the fall of 2004 was the final nail in the coffin. Littlemill was one of the oldest distillery in Scotland–built in 1772. The Lowland region was at one time the biggest Scotch producing region now only Auchentoshan, Bladnoch and Glenkinchie remain open. Littlemill was characteristically light with lavender and lemony notes. A distinctively different whisky which, in part, made it so great IMHO.

April 6, 2005

Laphroaig is launching a new whisky called Quarter Cask. It’s not out yet and when it is it will only be available in Duty Free shops! The description of the whisky is vague/missing. Does anyone have any info? Whoever is traveling overseas, be on the lookout and pick me up a bottle. Brother Ville? 😉

May 25, 2005

Here’s an update on Quarter Cask: Distilled in casks a quarter the size of a Butt. Makes for more wood contact and more evaporation (by volume). It’s also been aged less than 10 years (not sure how many). Their result is an edgy spirit at 48% alcohol. Here’s their cool site. I want a bottle!