The KOTQ

Does Campbell’s sell condensed Vichyssoise in the can? For our next meeting, I’ll need to get take-out from the Forge for palate cleansing.

What are some of your favorite memories of KOTQ meetings?

Let me start with a few memorable moments for me:

1) Brother Irving’s powerpoint presentation of the Western Highlands on the door of my garage at 04Q2.

2) The big-screen projected Spider diagrams cum Maxim shots, courtesy of Brother Tao’s PC wizardy, at 05Q1.

3) The discovery, recalling that famous “Far Side” moment when the cow opens and looks in the refrigerator’s freezer section, that blends were really 75% grain alcohol.

4) The infamous Sandra Bernhard episode at Brother Tao’s hosting 03Q3.

Let’s hear some of those memorable moments!

I don’t know how many of you got this email from Sean Hartif of Sam’s Wine & Spirits but it seems that there are (only) 2,400 bottles of Springbank 21 out there to be had and Sam’s can get us some/one. I know that there are some serious fans of Springbank in the KOTQ – particularly the 21. So…I know the interest level is there but check out the price too! If you are interested please let me know as you can only order by replying to the email that I have in my in-box.

Subject: RARE Springbank 21
Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2005 14:50:57 -0500
From: “Sean Hartig”, seanhartig @samswine.com
To: “Bob McMurray”, robertmcmurray@yahoo.com

Gone for the past 4 years and will probably be gone for another 4 years….. but its here now and that’s what is important.

The Springbank 21 year old @ $499.99 each
Only 2,400 bottles were produced of this legendary dram.

The color is deep amber. Rich , mature and full bodied with hints of sugared almonds and sweet peaches. Both malty and sweet well balanced with milk chocolate , honey , raisins and marzipan notes all initially evident . The finish is both long and satisfying with sweetness coating the palate. The maturity of the 21 year old comes from the high percentage of older casks used.
Springbank 21 year old ABV – 46% , Outturn – 2400 bottles,

Cask types – Re-fill Sherry casks , Cask ages – Casks from 1969 and 1971

Binny’s is having several scotch tastings hosted by Johnny Walker’s embassador. You get to drink “Johnnie Walker Green Label, Glenkinchie 10yr Old, Cragganmore 12yr Old, Clynelish 14yr Old, Caol Ila 12yr Old, Caol Ila 18yr Old, Talisker 10yr Old, Talisker 18yr Old and a couple of surprises! ” IMHO this is a good opportunity to try JW’s vatted malt if you haven’t already. Plus Coal Ila, Talisker 18. For $15 it’s a good deal. More info is on Binny’s site.

…let me lobby for a couple of single malts to be included in our next tasting.

First though, I’m acting on some assumptions/rumors. Namely, that we will be having our next tasting at the private club up north where they have some ungodly huge single malt selection and that our tasting will be themed around the Northern Highlands.

Anyway, given the above, please let me lobby for:

BRORA, BRORA, BRORA!!!

Brora is the silent still sister distillery to Clynelish. It is the heavier peated of the two. So, since it’s silent and heavily peated, if it’s available at this private club I say go for it even above and beyond Clynelish. Think of Brora as the Port Ellen of the Northern Highlands. If they only have Clynelish go with that.

My final lobbying effort is:

Balblair!

Ironically, for the opposite reasons of Brora. Balblair is an active distillery, actively marketing it’s single malts and not just being a ho to the blenders. Just because we don’t see it on the shelves on Sam’s doesn’t mean we should overlook distilleries like this. If this private club has such a great selection of single malts then Balblair should be on it and we should seize the opportunity to taste it ahead of other Northern Highlands such as Dalmore and Glenmorangie.

Ok…one more while we’re at it.

Old Pulteney

This one is available at Sam’s but it’s retail price point scares off us snobs in the KOTQ – too low, must not be good. Well I say let’s find out!

In summary, if we are doing a Northern Highlands at a place with a great selection I would love to see:

Brora
Balblair
Old Pulteney

Thanks Brothers Bluff and Irving for listening 😀