THAT PEG OF SCOTCH

A RELOOK AT THE PEG OF SCOTCH

Aqua vitae (‘water of life’ in Latin) was the generic term for distilled spirits throughout the Roman Empire, widely used during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and translated into many languages. In Gaelic, it was uisge beatha, in Irish uisce beatha. Whisky connoisseur Charles MacLean says that this was Anglicised from uiskie (c.1618) to whiskie (1715) to whisky (1746). F Paul Pacult, the author of ‘A Double Scotch’, 2005, says that Aqua Vitae ultimately became whisky in 1736.

THE WHISKY VERSUS WHISKEY DEBATE

In a quick research, I first found the spelling Whiskey in the third description of the Malt Tax Act of 1725 as printed in 1785. Subsequently, I found both spellings used equally widely, even in the British Parliament. Such variations were not uncommon, given the number of bodies passing local Acts and signing them on the basis of the Malt Tax Act, whether in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow or Dublin. In fact, the Hansard of 1896 uses just the one term 'Whiskey'. Whisky or whiskey is by convention, not law: the Royal Commission on Whiskey and Other Potable Spirits (1908/09) spelt both Irish and Scotch with an ‘e’ throughout.

Interestingly, it was the Irish Association headed by the 'Big Four' (John Jameson & Son, John Power & Son, George Roe & Co. and Willam Jameson & Co.) who argued before the Commission that their triple-distilled pot spirit was infinitely better than that distilled in Scotland which contained inferior and virtually tasteless Patent Still distilled grain spirit and that the correct spelling was 'Whisky', to differentiate it from the plebeian Scottish and English 'Whiskey'.Rather ironic, one would say, looking back today at facts as they lay.

Gavin Smith writes in his A-Z of Whisky: "The first use of Scotch with the sense of specifically relating to whisky occurs in 1855, 'while malt liquors give our Scotch and Irish whiskies”…

I have already written that at least 92 nations/nation-states around the globe are trying their hand at making and selling whisky. Of these countries, all but four spell Aqua Vitae ‘Whisky’. The term ‘Whiskey’ is used in Ireland (since 1960), Mexico and Peru and for most, but not all, American brands.

Albania, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Corsica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tasmania, The Philippines, Uruguay, Vietnam, Wales, Zimbabwe, Zambia & possibly a couple more spell it Whisky. 

The Americans keep their idiosyncratic asininity intact. George Dickel, Makers Mark, Old Forester and Rittenhouse Rye all use the “whisky” spelling for different reasons. Makers Mark uses the Scottish spelling of whisky as a nod to the Scottish heritage of their creator, T. William Samuels Sr. Similarly, George Dickel used this spelling because he believed his whisky was smooth and mellow like Scotch. Old Forester was produced before the “whiskey” spelling became mainstream in the US. Rittenhouse rye was originally produced by the Continental Distilling Corporation in Philadelphia, where they chose to drop the “e” for their rye ,but they kept the “e” for their bourbon. When Heaven Hill purchased the rights to Rittenhouse in the 1980s they kept that spelling.The US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau always uses the 'whisky' sans the 'e'.

North Korea's Samilpo has two blends, Black Label @ 40% ABV and Red Label @ 42% ABV in 620 ml bottles that resemble the Johnnie Walker bottles, except for that odd volume. Their third brand at 45% ABV is expected soon. Other than the numbers in volume and ABV, nothing is in English; I suppose whisky would be right since Kim loves Trump! Or would it be the concerned writer’s choice?

87 or 88/92 should be above par for concluding that the global spelling of this type of alcoholic beverage is whisky. Except for morons! Yes, the Yanks are up to it again, forcing one into American spellings in the software in use and putting out, by default, their spellings. OK, grant them their peccadilloes, but can't we have a simple tab on the keyboard to choose Type of English? The iPhone appears to be the main culprit.

THE DOMINANCE OF IRISH WHISKY

Irish whisky, triple distilled in pot stills, was once the most popular spirit in the world, reaching its zenith in the three decades between 1880-1910. Ireland boasted over 30 legal distilleries in the 1890s that each produced, litre for litre, more than comparable Scottish distilleries. At their peak, the distilleries in Dublin were the largest in the world, with a combined output of almost 10 million gallons per year. The major distilleries belonged to the Big Four, John Jameson & Son, John Power & Son, George Roe & Co., and William Jameson & Co, all from Dublin. The output of George Roe’s distilleries was more than all of Speyside and the Lowlands combined, and they dominated the markets not tightly controlled by the British Crown.

Jameson’s Midleton Distillery first opened with a whopping 31,618-gallon pot still (143,862 litres), which remains in situ within the historic distillery, and can be viewed as part of the tour at the Jameson Experience Midleton. The new stills at Midleton are currently the largest operational pot stills in the world. In a bid to hurt them in the early 1900s, Scottish distillers started to sell poor quality whiskies under Irish labels with impunity. They did set the Irish back, adding to the decline in production caused by poor harvests in Ireland for an extended period. The Scotch Whisky market, itself reeling from the Pattison Crash, was soon to recover due the Phylloxera Epidemic in France, which shut their wine and Cognac production down for over 30 years.

THE BRITISH IN INDIA

Changing tack entirely, The East India Company (EIC), having first landed on Indian soil in 1608, stated that they were only a trading company. Accepted without demur, they showed their true intent as they slowly but surely realised that India was a divided country, involved in internecine squabbles. The Islamic Mughals ran their empire from Delhi, fought off invaders from Persia, and were involved in far too many petty skirmishes. Exploiting this divide, the Brits turned into rapacious plunderers, looting Indian states with gay abandon. Shashi Tharoor, a polemicist of renown, avers in the annual Oxford Debate (2015) that the British Raj became what it was till WWII off 43 trillion GBP looted from India over 200 years.

In 1765, the EIC had an irregular army of 20,000 with a few Civil Servants strung out over the country and company-appointed British Army Officers under the command of one Major-General Stringer Lawrence. This would imply that there would have been at least three Brigadier Generals, six Cols, twelve majors and 48 Capt/Lts then.

The British Parliament now needed to shelter their troops as they fought in the French War, and 10 years later, against the Americans. So, the Crown did what they liked to do and made a decision that benefited British troops. They enacted the Quartering Acts of 1765, which stated that inns, stables, taverns, and wineries were required to house troops at the discretion of a British officer. Troops were allowed to take as they pleased, which would run taverns and wineries dry. This facility was accorded to the East India Company’s British officers and troops as well.

The cost of quartering troops would often fall on the shoulders of local landowners and Rajas. Eventually, their expenses were reimbursed by colonial kingdoms — not the British government. Soon, British troops started taking refuge in private homes. Without fear of penalty, they could barge into your house, kick you out of your bed, take your food, and tell you that you'd (maybe) be paid back in a few months.

As their reach expanded over India from Peshawar in the north to Sind in the west (in Pakistan now) and Rangoon (Yangon) in the east to the recaptured Madras in the South along the eastern coastline, so did their Armies, reaching 200,000 by 1790 and 260,000 by 1803. They dominated the Muslims who constituted the majority of the populace north of a line joining Pune (Poona) on the western coast and Bhubaneswar on the eastern coast (part of the Bengal Presidency). They also controlled Punjab. By now, they had established over 45 Residencies, one in every princely state they took over, under Residents, a Civil Service officer who was boss of all he could see, helped by around 6,000 sepoys under British Officers. The officers were housed in Cantonments and the sepoys in adjuncts to the official Cantonment. As a composite army, it was complete, with Artillery, Cavalry, Infantry, Sappers/ Miners and Staff Corps in a Commissariat. The British had arrived, bringing their customs along. Their Officers’ Messes became the focal point for whist, croquet, dinner dances and dining-in nights with their G&Ts, Claret, Port and Madeira. Perhaps a cigar as well!

After the Treaty of Salbai was concluded in 1782 between the British and Maharaja Mahadji Scindia of Gwalior, David Anderson, who contributed to drafting the treaty, was appointed resident at the Gwalior court. The fortress of Gwalior was captured by the Indians in the Great War of 1857, and recaptured by the Brits in 1858. The Resident had his own railway station, now used by the Army as their Institute (Club).

The Resident decided to take over the Maharaja of Scindia’s zenankhana, a magnificent palace near Morar, set up in ten acres of lush greenery with all luxuries available to the inmates of the harem, eunuch quarters included and located in the midst of its official estate of 750 acres with three villages included. The Residency was returned to the rightful owner after Indian Independence in 1947 and the Maharaja installed his Army Commander, General Rane there. In 1950, the Scindia rulers acceded to the new Union of India, and Gwalior state was absorbed into the new Indian state of Madhya Bharat, later Madhya Pradesh. The Residency was taken over by the Indian Govt. in 1951 and a school established there, with the three villages regaining their individual status. A decade later, the school and its ten acres of land was handed over to the Indian Air Force.

Immediately after the pompous Resident forcibly reoccupied the palace, life returned to the British ways of the world. The word burra means big/large and chota means small. Both are obviously relative. The Sahib would dress for dinner and at 1830 hrs, order his first drink, a burra peg of whisky (Blended Malt) and a siphon of soda. A little white or red wine with dinner and a chota peg of French brandy/cognac thereafter. The Brits were not known to be moderate drinkers, happy with just the one burra peg.

The term burra/chota peg could not have come before 1765; in all probability, it would have been introduced circa 1780. The British Crown assumed direct control of the Indian subcontinent in the form of the new British Raj in 1858 when the East India Company mishandled the Indian uprising of 1857. It assumed the Company's governmental functions and absorbed its navy and its armies. Blended Scotch would have arrived in 1860-61, initially in limited quantities, the volume increasing with time and expansion of the Industry post-1863.

The standard term ‘peg’ is a vestige of British colonialism and was/is used extensively in the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and eastern Asia, i.e., wherever there were Indians to be found.

Starting in 1780, the only term used to define volume in the Indian Defence, Paramilitary and Police Forces was/is a peg. This is because the British overlords had decreed that every soldier/sailor would be issued four pegs of Rum every evening, requiring them to define the volume of a peg. 

When dealers in potable spirits changed over to glass bottles circa 1780-1810, the largest bottle suitable for enclosing spirits was a function of the type of furnace, the material used and the glassblower's lung capacity and dexterity. Most bottles came out in the 26.5-27.0 fluid-ounce capacity. The invention of the automatic glass bottle-blowing machine in 1880 industrialised the process of making bottles and sizing on demand.

One 26½ oz (750 ml) bottle was taken to hold 26 pegs, mathematically working out to 28.8 ml/peg. The 26½ oz bottle was thirteen (13) fingers tall, with a few ml (1/2 oz) left over at the very top of the neck. This extra 1/2 oz was then considered a provision made for evaporation in the Raj’s hot weather and spillage; the hourglass-shaped ‘peg measure’ poured out just that bit less. The standard measure then became 28.4 ml, one Imperial ounce. The field ration was thus two fingers in height, from the top of the forefinger to the underside of the middle finger when held horizontally across a bottle (four pegs).

THE PATIALA PEG

In the Punjab of yore, the hefty Sardars (Sikhs) refused to accept the then piffling ration. The Maharaja of Patiala, with one eye on the British, solved this problem by a covert redefinition of the peg. He ruled that all Sikhs would be given two “Patiala pegs.” A Patiala peg is the amount of liquor poured into a standard glass and equal to the height between the top of the index finger and the bottom of the little finger of the stoutest Sardar around when held parallel to one another across the sides of the bottle. The middle and ring fingers would be folded inwards, so the basic tenet of two-finger rationing was observed, if only in spirit.

Today, a peg that represented 28.4 ml, one Imperial ounce, or 29.57 ml (one US oz) has been increased to 30 ml for convenience in bars on civvy street.

ADDENDA

Weights and Measures in the USA

The United States uniqueness is reflected in omnifarious facets of life. Consider units of measurement. While most nations use the metric system, the US retains, for the most part, its own standardised system, often, and erroneously, referred to as the Imperial system. In truth, the US uses the US Customary System, which was standardised decades before the British Imperial System. However, the two have similar roots that have fed into their shared units. 

How Units of Measurement Were Created 

Units of measurement have been around since the early days of civilisation. They were, much like everything else at the time, birthed out of necessity. Without shared units to define quantifiable goods, there can be no basis for commercialism or trade. Therefore, units of measurement were needed as populations swelled and measurements were needed for common exchanges. They also helped in comprehending the world around us.

Traditionally, archaic units of measurement were based on the parts of the body. This makes sense for several reasons. Firstly, when you are perceiving the natural world, the easiest method of engaging with space is with your body parts, specifically your hands and arms. Furthermore, these units would be similar person-to-person, considering that people of similar backgrounds and builds would be performing similar construction or other tasks requiring measurements. However, there likely were issues with accuracy. It is also important to consider that measurements with the arms and hands simplified the entire process, as you always had your measuring tool with you.

Some early units of measurement included the digit (the width of the finger, now about 0.75 inch), the palm (width of the palm, now about 3 inches), the span (width of the outstretched hand, from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the finger, or 3 palms or 9 inches), and the cubit (length of the forearm, approximately 18 inches.) These practices fed into what would eventually become British Imperial and US Customary units, but the manner in which they developed is dependent on the varied history and peoples of Ancient Britain.

History of English Units

During the Bronze Age, the Celtic Britons infiltrated modern-day Britain. A lot of cultural detail has been lost about the Celts, but it is possible that some of their measurement units influenced modern systems.

Starting around 450 CE, Germanic tribes invaded England, displacing the Briton population. With these tribes in control, Anglo-Saxon England saw distance measurements that have persisted until today. The inch (ynce) was the length of 3 barleycorns, an amount that actually is remarkably close to its current length. They also used several foot measurements, with one being equal to 12 inches, but another, which consisted of two shaftments, equalled 13 inches. The Saxon unit for area was the acre, which also retains its usage in almost all English-speaking countries. The word “acre” literally meant “field,” and this unit was considered a field the size that a farmer could plough in a single day.

In historical England, various units of weight were related as multiples of the grain, which was originally the weight of one barleycorn. For volume, the gallon was utilized. Originally, it was the volume of eight pounds of wheat. Larger volumes of liquids may have been carried in hogsheads, a unit of volume that unsurprisingly has vanished from common use. In 1066, the Normans invaded England. Hailing from France and having a blend of Norse Viking, Frankish, and Gallo-Roman ancestry, the Normans retained a lot of Saxon culture, such as units of measurement. All land in England was measured traditionally by the rod (gyrd), an old Saxon unit about equal to 20 feet. 40 rods made a furlong (fuhrlang), the length of a traditional furrow ploughed by ox teams on Saxon farms. Norman kings fixed the length of the rod at 5.5 yards, which is still unchanged today.

The Normans also brought numerous Roman units to England. Please note, however, that the Romans invaded England throughout Celtic times, so these units of measurement may have been acquired through numerous means. For example, the mile is a Roman unit, originally defined as the length of 1000 paces of a Roman legion. Eventually, in 1592, the British Parliament set the length of a mile at 8 furlongs—5280 feet. The Normans also brought to England the Roman tradition of the 12-inch foot. When this became official, Norman King Henry I ordered the construction of 3-foot standards, which were called yards.

In fact, according to legend, King Henry I decreed that the yard was the distance from the tip of his nose to the end of his outstretched thumb. In reality, however, this is unlikely, as both the foot and the yard were based on the Saxon ynce, the foot at 36 barleycorns and the yard 108.

The pound was also a Roman measurement, originally 12 ounces, but later shifted to 16 after a preference by European merchants. Ultimately, Saxon, Norman, and Roman influences shaped the English units, as they were called. These were used in both Great Britain and the American Colonies.

Standardisation of Units in the Early United States

However, there was an even wider influence on American units of measurement than there was in Britain. Even before the American Revolution, the colonists were faced with a hodgepodge of units of measurement from England, Holland, France, and Spain. Such preponderance, coupled with nationalistic obduracy, created a great deal of confusion.

It wasn't surprising that measurements weren’t always the same between colonies. One telling example is the measure 'bushel'. In Connecticut, a bushel was 28 pounds. In New Jersey, a bushel was larger, at 32 pounds. Ultimately, after independence, the states developed uniform weights and measurements. This birthed the US Customary System.

Differences Between US Customary and British Imperial Units

To add to the divide between formerly English units, the British Imperial System was established in 1824. This made some specific changes to the existing units from which the US system had derived. Furthermore, the Mendenhall Order of 1893 defined the US yard and pound, as well as related US Customary units, in terms of the metric meter and kilogram. Therefore, there is no longer any direct relationship between US Customary and Imperial units of the same name.

Regardless, the US Customary and British Imperial Systems remain almost identical. The most substantial differences are found in volume. There are differences in the following:

• The British Imperial fluid ounce is equal to 28.413 millilitres, while the US Customary fluid ounce is 29.573 ml.
• The British Imperial pint is 568.261 ml (20 fluid ounces), while the US Customary pint is 473.176 ml (16 fl oz).
• The British Imperial quart is 1.13 litres (40 fl oz), while the US Customary quart is 0.94 L (32 fl oz).
• The British Imperial gallon is 4.54 L (160 fl oz), while the US Customary gallon is 3.78 L (128 fl oz).

Throughout the 1900s, the United Kingdom underwent significant metrification. As a result, the Imperial System’s official usage in the UK is confined to the above units for volume, as well as miles per hour (MPH) for vehicle speed. In the US, the US Customary units retain usage for commercial and everyday purposes. However, in both nations, the metric system generally is heralded for scientific measurements. 

US Customary Units

Even though the US Customary and Imperial Systems are not used internationally, there is a need to comprehend their equivalents in the metric system. Some common conversions include 1 yard=0.9144 meter, 1 lb=0.45359237 kilogram, 1 joule=1 watt second, and 1 Newton=0.224809 pound force. In some cases, the reciprocals make more sense: 1 meter = 1.094 yards; 1 Kg = 2.204 lbs.

Please note that mechanical units in inches (e.g. for fasteners) are sometimes referred to colloquially as SAE units. This derives from ANSI-accredited standards developing organisation SAE International, which traditionally used the US Customary System. However, SAE has since switched to metric for specifications in its standards.

Addenda courtesy ansi.org blog: US Customary System: An Origin Story of June 18, 2018 Brad Kelechava

WHISKY GOES GLOBAL

WHISKY VS WHISKEY

Aqua Vitae Is A Global Product

At least 92 nations/nation states around the world are trying their hand at making and selling whisky. This goes to show that there can be no claim on Aqua Vitae, the water of life, being limited to just Scotland, Ireland and the USA. There is room in the world of whisky for everyone to enjoy a peg or two made in their own country. 

Of these countries, all but four spell Aqua Vitae ‘Whisky’. The term ‘Whiskey’ is used in Ireland (since 1960), Mexico and Peru and for most-but not all- American brands. North Korea is a special case. Interestingly, it was the group of the 'Big Four' Irish distillers (John Jameson & Son, John Power & Son, George Roe & Co. and Willam Jameson & Co.) who argued before the Royal Commission of 1908-09 that the correct spelling of the spirit was 'Whisky', representing their better variety of the spirit, returning to 'Whiskey' once they saw Scotch Whisky overshoot them by miles for self-inflicted reasons, starting 1909. George Roe & Co. produced more than 2.0 million gallons of whisky per annum, whereas most Scotch distilleries stayed below the 100,000 gallons per year mark. The Irish were producing over 12 million gallons in 1900 AD.

Albania, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Corsica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tasmania, The Philippines, Uruguay, Vietnam, Wales, Zimbabwe, Zambia & possibly a couple more spell it Whisky.

Let’s look at some unlikely countries that are producing their own version of the spirit synonymous with Scotland. 

Latvia:

Latvia, officially known as the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. Since independence, Latvia has been referred to as one of the Baltic states. Part of the USSR, it was always associated with Vodka, but now has a whisky distillery called Latvijas balzams JSC, in its capital city Riga. This distillery produces as many as ten different brands, mainly eight year old blended whiskies and blended malts and also a 10 YO single malt and a 10 YO blended malt. By European standards, their prices are on the low side, approx €20 for the 10 YO single and blended malt and <€18 for their blends. At least two of the blended whiskies – LB Viskijs and Aleksandrs Viskijs – are made from Latvian rye. Amber Beverage Group owns Latvijas balzams JSC, the largest producer of alcoholic beverages in the Baltics. As of 2006, it had a market share of about 50% in Latvia. 

The Czech Republic

The father of Czech whisky is the little-known Vaclav Sitner of the Prádlo distillery, near Pilzen on the western edge of the Czech Republic. The distillery was founded in 1929 in the Austro-Hungarian empire, selling spirits to Central Europe and the Balkans.

A few imported brands were deemed sufficiently ‘Soviet’ and were allowed in, such as Cuban rum Havana Club because of its Castro connection, but most, including Scotch whisky, were either banned, or trickled in sporadically through the specialist shops that only served the party elite. Spotting a gap in the market, Vaclav and his team realised there was a demand among wealthier Czechs and some of the Russian officials for a good-quality whisky.

Armed with a pot still and a handful of whisky books, they set out to create Hammerhead, the country’s first single malt, made from Czech barley and aged in Czech oak, in 1984. The distillery managed to acquire and install a traditional, cast-iron hammer mill of the same style and make as those found in most traditional Scottish distilleries at the time.

After the cold war, Stock Spirits bought the business in 2007 and came upon thousands of barrels of ageing whisky. No-one had bottled it, it was just lying there – an undiscovered jewel, gathering dust. It was bottled as a 23 YO, to rave reviews. A 25 YO followed and a 30-year-old Hammerhead was released in 2019.

The other whisky in the country is the Gold Cock, a blended whisky distilled by J R Jelinek.

Slovakia

It is believed that whisky was first produced in Slovakia in the 18th Century. It’s said to be quite unique due to the properties of the local water, which has a mineral character. Their primary distillery is The Nestville.

Nestville Whisky: One of the greatest inducements for starting Nestville Whisky production was the superior, crystal clear water that was shown to have a mineral composition particularly suited for the production of whisky. Geological studies found that the water flows through the Quaternary sediments of Zuberec and Biely Potok formations. The water travels a long way from Belianské Tatras to Lubovnianska Basin, being enriched with a unique mineral composition and then filtered through rocks that date back to the Paleogene and Quaternary periods.

This water, with its unique composition rich in Ca, Mg, Fe, gives the whisky its unique taste and originality. The taste can be changed by the ageing process in oak barrels and by smoky malt, but only the water has a composition that gives the whisky a unique flavour and constancy that cannot be changed.

Over a dozen brands are produced, with blends ranging from 6-10 YO, single malts at 43% ABV, single barrel also at 43% ABV and a cask strength single malt at 63.9% ABV. There are also a few single barrel whiskies produced in the country. These are medium-bodied with a fair to good flavour and are clean and elegant with light grassy, herbal components. These are best used in simple cocktails.

Nestville Whisky Master Blender 2019 is first ever 10-year old Slovakian whisky. Like Master Blender 2017 and Master Blender 2018, this is also a special limited edition blended out of 4 barrels from archive stocks. By using 5 different types of casks during its maturation ( American white oak, European French oak, white oak, ex-bourbon, sherry and barrels in which their Starospišská slivovica – plum distillate – was matured ), it’s a complex and unique product). The effect of the plum barrel is obvious; its noticeably sweeter. Diluted to 43% to highlight its delicacy and perfect balance of sweetness, oak tannnins and fruity notes, it is non-chill filtered with no caramel added. What is of interest is that the Scotch Whisky Association has banned the use of casks that contained a fruit that had a nut at its core to mature whisky. That would mean that Plum Casks cannot be used to mature new make or whisky.

Iceland

Eimverk Distillery is a family-run distillery founded in 2009, dedicated to making premium Icelandic spirits from 100% local ingredients. Their whisky is named Flóki after one of Icelands first explorers, Hrafna-Flóki (Flóki of the ravens). Eimverk produces three whiskies, one Young Malt, one unique sheep-dung smoked malt whisky and one 3-YO Single Malt Whisky using locally grown Icelandic barley. A picture of the Sheep Dung Smoked Reserve is placed left.

Flóki is handcrafted and took 4 years and 163 trial distillations as well as aging and maturation testes to perfect. Production started in 2013 with first sales in 2014. The Icelandic barley is a hardy strain selected to thrive during the short, intense Icelandic summer, while surviving the Arctic winter as it grew in volcanic rocky land. The starch content per grain is lower than elsewhere, leading to low sugar output and a more than 50% content of barley in the bottle.

Flóki’s sheep-dung-smoked reserve is the first of its kind in the world. The barley used in this malt has been smoked using the generations old tradition of smoking using sheep dung in Iceland. The result is truly one of a kind with a complex flavour profile and sweet smoky notes to compliment the intense flavour of the Icelandic barley. This two-year release is a limited reserve of a selection of single barrel bottling.

Their first 3 year old Single Malt Icelandic Whisky was released in a limited bottling of their very first 3 year old casks in November 2017. This single malt was matured in ex-Young Malt barrels which had been mellowed by the maturation of their Young Malt.

Pakistan

To meet the beer requirements of British army personnel in colonial India, the Murree Brewery was established in 1860 and incorporated a year later at Ghora Galli, located in the Pir Punjal range of the Western Himalayas at an elevation of 6,000 ft. above sea level, near the resort town of Murree, some 50 kilometers away from Rawalpindi. The founders were relatives of the British mountaineer Edward Whymper, who, five years later, became the first man to scale the Matterhorn.

Now owned by a Parsi, Minoo Bhandara, the brewery is also a distillery with numerous blended whiskies, all 5 YO and more as well as single malts. A “Saladin” Box malting was installed in 1971 and a decision taken to embark on an ambitious long-term program to mature Malt Whiskies. Two underground cellars now hold over half a million liters of Malt Whisky for varying periods of maturation up to 12 years under controlled temperature conditions.

Its crowning glory was its 8-year-old single malt whisky that received lavish praise from Jim Murray. In 2007, Murree launched its real jewel, a 20 YO  single malt, as part of a one-time limited edition offer. 2400 bottles were produced priced modestly at around $40 a bottle.

Unfortunately for the locals, Muslims may not drink alcohol. But Bhandara runs a thriving business, with non-Muslims and foreigners buying his products after obtaining a permit. But then, like in many other duplicitous nations, his real customers are affluent Pakistani Muslims and the Armed Forces.

                 

                                                         

Finland

The state-owned alcohol monopoly Alko (later Primalco, now Altia) is a leading Nordic alcoholic beverage brand company operating in the wine and spirits markets in the Nordic and Baltic countries. After years of research and trials, the first brand to enter Finnish liquor stores was simply called Alko Whisky. In 1983 Alko introduced Viski 88 (later called Double Eight 88) that became the best-selling whisky in Finland and remained in production until the year 2000. A 10-year-old whisky was sold from 1991, until the company discontinued all whisky production in 2000.

Panimoravintola Beer Hunter's is a brewery, distillery and a restaurant, founded in 1998 and located in the city of Pori. On 8 November 2001, self-taught Mika Heikkinen of Panimoravintola began distilling the first batch of malt whisky produced in Finland. The first batch's casks are to be opened in 2034 when Mika Heikkinen turns 60 years of age. 

Starting December 2004, 100 bottles of Finnish malt whisky, the Old Buck, a 3 YO, were auctioned. Production is limited to small batches only, with 100 bottles being auctioned every year. 

NORTH KOREA

North Korea’s Samilpo distillery created its own brand of whisky and launched it mid-2019. The Samilpo whisky bottle is based on the characteristic square design of Scotland’s Johnnie Walker, a popular but expensive brand in NoKo. 

  

The distillery sells two different expressions of its whisky in a format similar to the international best-selling Scottish brand – a 40% ABV “Black Label” and a 42% ABV “Red Label”. There had to be some difference somewhere, I suppose. Its 45% ABV expression which was announced as part of the family is not yet available. The bottles present an unusual volume, 620 ml. Apart from this figure and the ABV, nothing is written in English. How its whisky is spelt would depend on the author.

Its USP is the unusual claim that its 15 types of amino acids, including eight essential amino acids, provide a health benefit that reduce harm to the liver and counter the negative side effects of alcohol abuse. Other vital details, including the age of the whisky, the stills, barrels or the types of grain used, have not yet been revealed.

SWEDEN

Smögen: Heavy smoke from Sweden in handcrafted Swedish whisky

Smögen 8 YO 2011 (cask 48/2011) - Single Cask Edition No. 12 (50cl, 61%). A single cask bottling of Smögen's single malt Swedish whisky, distilled back in September 2011 using heavily peated barley. It was filled into a first-fill bourbon barrel, where it lay for 8 years, was cracked open in February 2020, and bottled up at cask strength - a hefty 61% ABV.

Nose: Heavy vanilla and oak, with a good whack of earthy, almost coastal peat swiftly following up the sweet and rich wood smoke that found on Smögen whisky. Here though, it seems to work - amazing! It is balanced and nice with warm and restrained spices.

Palate: Toasted almonds and hazelnuts, chocolaty malt and a touch of strong coffee. Sweet ashes and soot. Sugary fruitiness sticking its head up through the smoke and having a look around.

Finish: Lasting peppery spices and a touch of clove building on the finish, balanced by apricot and apple. Sweeter by the swallow. Smoky sugar cubes with a hint of mint.

Smögen’s 100 Proof 50cl 57.1% ABV

Smögen’s first on-going release comes ten years after the distillery produced its first spirit in the form of Smögen 100 Proof. The whisky is produced from heavily peated malt (optic) and is a vatting of 11 oloroso sherry quarter casks. Bottled bearing a 6 year old age statement, this first batch release consists of 2436 bottles.

This expression is not for beginners – nor those that don’t like a bit of eccentricity with their whisky. The flavour combinations are intricate (particularly for the relative age of the spirit) but at the same time, they’re densely bound before dilution – and even then present what might be viewed by some as complexity, but by others as a challenge. Nevertheless, everything is well balanced and in-step, and features left-field aromas and flavours (particularly of the peaty kind). All said, this latest offering from Smögen rather is compelling.

Nose: Savoury sweetness. Burnt toffee and freshly baked pastry cases join maple wood chips and morello cherries. Smoke is part burning logs, part pine needles and part iodine disinfectant. A backbone of malty distillery aromas (toasted and fermenting cereals) is supported by some outlying oddness from white board makers and marmite spread across toast. Dilution presents overt strips of bacon and amps up the prominence of the peat influence - kiln dried logs smouldering in a fire pit set against earthy leaf fires and moist bracken.

Palate: Rather interesting and unexpected – a textural delivery of uncooked lardons alongside plenty of red berries and a pronounced steely and salty mineral touch. Resinous tree sap and leafy greens are joined by impactful smoke that’s much more prominent than the nose alluded to, and significantly dirtier - coal dust and burnt electrical circuit boards. In the back palate a powered sweetness akin to smoked sherbet. The addition of water once again promotes earthiness – forest floors, damp soils, ferns and a trip to the stationer for some Pritt Stick.

Finish: Quite long with dry oakiness offset against leafy freshness whilst wood smoke persistent till the very end.

ARGENTINA

La Alazana: 80% ex-bourbon cask- 20% ex-sherry cask

Proud to be pioneers in the cultivation of exclusive barley varieties for whisky. The varieties sown in Patagonia, and malted in La Alazana distillery, give a distinctive character to the expression of 100% Patagonian whisky, together with the peat of the region, which is burned under the barley in the malting process to obtain the different smoky notes. Other expressions of La Alazana are processed with the best Scottish malts.

They are proud pioneers in growing barley varieties for whisky, and malting them at the distillery. These varieties contribute to the distinctive character of the 100% Patagonian expression, as does their local peat source for their peated malts. The other expressions use the best Scottish malts.

Water of unequalled purity, from springs coming down mountain slopes in the Andes.

Double distillation process is carried out in copper stills of their own design and construction. They give it a fine and elegant “spirit”, to be matured in special American and French oak barrels: ex bourbon, sherry, cognac, and wine. The microclimate of the Piltriqutrón hill valley ensures a long and smooth maturation, giving it the stamp of Patagonian Whisky.

 

CHIVAS BROTHERS MOVES BIG TIME INTO SINGLE MALT RELEASES

SECRET SPEYSIDE : CHIVAS BROTHERS RELEASES ITS LARGEST EVER SINGLE MALT COLLECTION

The Secret Speyside Collection was launched by Chivas Brothers on 27/06/2019, featuring fifteen rare Single Malts from four highly sought-after distilleries. 

This is its biggest Single Malt collection release till date, with the launch of fifteen aged Single Malt Scotch whiskies from four seldom-seen, yet definitely sought-after Speyside, Scotland distilleries.

The Collection is a meticulously curated selection of 18-30 year old whiskies from four of Speyside’s most elusive distilleries. Each has its own rich and unique history for Single Malt fans to discover: the vanished distillery of Caperdonich, the pioneering Longmorn distillery, the landmark Glen Keith distillery, and the remote Braes of Glenlivet distillery.

The fifteen-bottle collection consists of three rare Single Malts each from Glen Keith, Longmorn and Braes of Glenlivet, along with with three peated and three unpeated expressions from Caperdonich, which distilled its final Single Malt in 2002, before closing its doors and being dismantled in 2011.

The Secret Speyside Collection is the first of its kind from Pernod Ricard-owned Chivas Brothers and will offer Single Malt connoisseurs the chance to uncover, sample and collect some of the hidden malts at the heart of the iconic Speyside region that have rarely been made available in the past.

“With centuries of rich whisky heritage, Speyside is the treasure chest of Scotch. In curating the Collection, the Chivas Brothers team have hand-selected its contents to shine a light on some seldom-seen distilleries, their rare malts, and unique histories. This new world-class selection demonstrates the breadth of flavour and character that Speyside distilleries can achieve.” 
Alan Winchester, Production Manager, Pernod Ricard

The Secret Speyside Collection came out in July as a Global Travel Retail exclusive for one year, to later roll out into selected markets globally from summer 2020. Priced between US$100 and US$990 per bottle, all 15 whiskies carry age statements of 18-30 years. All are at 48% ABV, except where cask strength, and Glen Keith which will proffer whiskies at 43% ABV.

The Distilleries of the Secret Speyside Collection

1. Caperdonich – A Vanished Distillery

Once gone, there will never be another. This collection contains the only available Single Malts from this distillery, which was taken down in 2011. The whiskies released from this ‘vanished distillery’ of Speyside offer a rare opportunity to discover and compare peated and unpeated expressions of the same age (21 and 25 YO) from the same distillery.

There will be six whiskies from Caperdonich, half peated and the other half unpeated. The peated selection includes an 18 YO, a 21 YO and a cask strength 25 YO whisky. The unpeated whiskies are a 21 YO, 25 YO and a cask strength 30 YO. The peated 25 YO  and non-peated 30 YO were released in October 2019.

2. Longmorn - The Pioneering Distillery

Blending unique insights in technology and craft, Longmorn was designed by founder John Duff in 1894 to create a whisky of outstanding quality. Duff even built a railway station next to the distillery to facilitate supplies getting to the distillery and speed up the finished product getting into the hands of whisky lovers. One of Scotland’s best kept secrets, Longmorn has long been considered world class by distillers, blenders and connoisseurs, often referred to as ‘every distiller’s favourite apart from their own.’

The three whiskies from Longmorn in this collection are an 18 YO, 23 YO and a cask strength 25 YO, with each bringing a more intense take on its rich flavour profile that is highly regarded by distillers and industry experts worldwide.

3. Glen Keith - The Landmark Distillery

Glen Keith was the first Speyside distillery built in the 20th century. The distillery rose from the ruins of an old mill on the banks of the River Isla, famed for its pure water and leaping wild salmon. This collection marks the first official age-statement release this century from the landmark distillery.

The three whiskies from Glen Keith in this collection are a 21 YO, 25 YO and a 28 YO (all 43% ABV). Each is exceptionally smooth as Glen Keith’s pot stills are taller than most, giving an extra ‘copper kiss’ to the single malt and resulting in a complex, intensely smooth example of the classic Speyside style. 

4. Braes of Glenlivet - The Remote Distillery

This is the first official bottling from one of the highest distilleries in Speyside. In years past, when the snow fell, it settled on the hills of Braes of Glenlivet first. The remote distillery was watched over by a lone keeper at night and was truly at the mercy of the uncompromising Scottish elements.

The three whiskies from Braes of Glenlivet in this collection are a 25 YO, 27 YO  and a cask strength 30 YO. Made using the purest water from the Preenie Well, 2 miles deep in the Braes hills, the resulting whisky is smooth, balanced and intensely flavourful.

The 15 Secret Speyside Collection single malts are as follows:

1.   Caperdonich 18 Year Old Peated: 48% ABV, matured in American oak barrels, RRP US$130

2.   Caperdonich 21 Year Old Peated: 48% ABV, American oak barrels, RRP US$290

3.   Caperdonich 25 Year Old Peated: cask strength/TBC on release, oak hogsheads, RRP US$550

4.   Caperdonich 21 Year Old Unpeated: 48% ABV, first-fill American oak barrels, RRP US$250

5.   Caperdonich 25 Year Old Unpeated: 48% ABV, first-fill American oak barrels, RRP US$480

6.   Caperdonich 30 Year Old Unpeated: cask strength/TBC on release, first-fill American oak barrels, RRP US$990

7.   Longmorn 18 Year Old: 48% ABV, American oak barrels/hogsheads, RRP US$100

8.   Longmorn 23 Year Old: 48% ABV, American oak barrels/hogsheads, RRP US$290

9.   Longmorn 25 Year Old: 52.2% ABV (cask strength), American oak barrels/hogsheads/butts, RRP US$450

10.  Glen Keith 21 Year Old: 43% ABV, ‘specially selected’ oak barrels and   butts, RRP US$180

11.  Glen Keith 25 Year Old: 43% ABV, first-fill American oak barrels, RRP US$380

12.  Glen Keith 28 Year Old: 43% ABV, first-fill American oak barrels, RRP US$500

13.  Braes of Glenlivet 25 Year Old: 48% ABV, first-fill American oak barrels,       RRP US$400

14.  Braes of Glenlivet 27 Year Old: 48% ABV, first-fill American oak barrels,   RRP US$450

15.  Braes of Glenlivet 30 Year Old: 50.3% ABV (cask strength), American oak barrels/hogsheads, RRP US$600