Thursday 29 August 2013

The Ultimate Whisky Masterclass







At the Gall & Gall in Almere Parkwijk we enjoyed a very tasty masterclass hosted by Jan Beek. He had some splendid drams for us to taste. He poured a mystery dram from the back of the shop as the 1st one. Should have known that it was something we would not expect, because we were focused on the Ultimate bottlings he was going to guide us through. 

So after sniffing, swirling, and tasting the mystery dram, we were doubting between a speyside and a highland whisky, but it was something else, we just could not find a match. 

Guess we must have been blind still, and when Jan asked for the guesses out of the group, nobody had the right answer. Could slap my self in the face when he revealed the bottle, because I have reviewed this one before, was familiar to me, but not linked it together! 

Shows again that blind tastings are vey difficult. Curious what it was? My description for it was before "A beautiful piece of candy, that keeps revealing flavours to your palette". Click here for the mystery dram, it is a beauty and I really now have to get myself a bottle :-)

After this lovely mystery dram, and an introduction from Jan, who recently became a Keeper of the Quaich, he presented us the following bottlings we were going to be tasting that night. Clicking on the name will link you through to the tasting notes I made.



Bottled 2013 at 46%
cask 5577, Hogshead

Glen Scotia 1977
Bottled 2011 at 46%
Cask 2748, Hogshead

Longmorn 1996
Bottles 2013 at 57,5%
Cask 72319, Sherry Butt

Craigellachie 2002
Bottled 2012 at 46%
Cask 900069, Sherry Butt

Imperial 1995
Bottled 2013 at 46%
cask 50134, Hogshead

Allt a Bhainne 1995
Bottled 2013 at 46%
cask 147083, Hogshead

The Ultimate Single Malt Scotch Whisky are bottlings done by van Wees. Soon they will be revealing their 500th bottling, after started in 1994. The whisky's are bottled non-chill-filtered, and no caramel is added.

It was a night with a very nice setup, and with a great host! Jan guided the group before him through the process of tasting, and the making of whisky. The Ultimate bottlings have a very good price/quality ratio we find. After the tasting we went home with a couple of lovely Ultimate bottlings of the Longmorn, Glenlivet, and a Tamdu. So more tasting notes on The Ultimate coming soon :-)



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