On a recent trip into New York City, I had the pleasure to stop into Park Avenue Liquor Shop, 292 Madison Avenue. In the past, I had read about the large selection, but to see it in person was a thrill that I am sure every whisky connoisseur would appreciate.My intention was to find an outlet that carried the great Japanese whisky Yamazaki.You see, it is very difficult to find this in Ontario through the LCBO. It does exist, however only at select vintage locations. However, at Park Ave, I also noticed the lineup of Compass Box whiskies including the return of Spice Tree, as well as Oak Cross, Asyla, Orangerie, Lady Luck, Peat Monster, Hedonism, and Hedonism Maximus. Once again, these choices are not all available at the LCBO.
Not very long ago, a few of us here at www.bestofwhisky.com were fortunate to find ourselves with a bottle of the very rare Monster.John Glaser, whiskymaker and founder of Compass Box was extremely kind in providing this rare bottle to the organizers of ‘Spirit of Toronto’ (one of the best run whisky events you’d ever want to attend) Monster was the precursor that would really kick start John Glaser’s Compass Box phenomena.A beast of a grain whisky that was so popular John just had to build on that.It eventually became his worldwide hit ‘The Peat Monster’Monster is cask strength and was born of two casks.The Peat Monster is reduced to 46% and as recent as 2007, won the award for ‘best ofblend or vatted’, here at bestofwhisky.Although I realized the original Monster was made specifically for a Liquor Shop in NY, I did not put 2 & 2 together until I was speaking with the Goldstein’s of Park Ave. What a pleasure to meet these businessmen that have such a passion for great drink.It became time to pick out a few bottles and for this I chose a bottle of Hedonism. I’ve read great things and look forward to sharing with some with good friends. I also picked up Makers Mark 46. This is another bottle I could not get my hands on locally and quite frankly the people at Makers Mark know how to distill great bourbon.Cheers to you all at Park Avenue Liquor Shop.I was welcomed very warmly and look forward to stopping in again (Hopefully with a few friends…. Hmmm when is New York Whiskyfest again ?)
(note: choose the different background swatches in the top left for background pics of Park Ave)
Windsor’s own Will Predhomme is Ontario’s best wine sommelier.
The 28-year-old, now at Toronto’s acclaimed Canoe Restaurant, recently won the prestigious title from the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers, Ontario Chapter. His prizes also include trips abroad and entry into the national competition….local sommelier does well
Canadian Club has dusted off one of their more successful campaigns of f the past, and at the end of this rainbow (sometime in 2012) some lucky player will be pocketing $100k U.S.
Here is an excerpt from the local paper where C.C originated.
“It’s the intrigue. It’s the mystique,” said Dan Tullio, Canadian Club’s Windsor-based brand ambassador. “We’re bringing that back.”
A total of 25 cases of Canadian Club Whisky were hidden around the world during the original campaign. Adventure-seeking members of the public were encouraged to recover the cases, with clues of the exact locations conveyed through elaborate magazine ads. Sixteen of the cases were found, sometimes years after they were hidden. The hiding spots included such exotic locales as Mount Kiliminjaro, Africa’s greatest mountain; Angel Falls in Venezuela, the tallest waterfall in the world; and the largest reef system on the planet, the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. There were also stash sites within the borders of the U.S. — Death Valley, Nevada; the forests of Oregon; and the urban environs of New York City and Washington, D.C. Nine cases were never recovered. The new campaign’s goal is to find one of them…..
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Then, in April 2012, the eight participants will be led by Kevin Brauch (host of the television show The Thirsty Traveler) to a secret location, where they will compete against each other in “Amazing Race-style challenges.”
The ultimate winner and finder of the lost case will receive US$100,000.
“This is an expensive proposition,” Brauch said. “It is a proposition that was born out of the 1960s. What an amazing adventure it was, and we’re gonna do it all over again.”
As we are setting up the Final Four of March Madness (NCAA College Basketball) we present to you the finals of our Scotch Blend Whisky Tournament.
I can guarantee you one thing. The judges here at “Best Of Whisky” had a great time working (err. drinking) through this tournament and although we had a few eager beavers that wanted to keep playing (err drinking) through the weekend, we had the fortitude to stretch it out a bit in between rounds.
So without further delay… Here are the results of the 2009/2010 Scotch Blend Whisky Tournament
Get the guys together for a night of sophistication and basketball with the Toronto Raptors Johnnie Walker Scotch Tasting Package.
For only $120 per person you will enjoy:
• Lower Bowl ticket to the game.
• Scotch tasting session with a Brand Ambassador of the Johnnie Walker Family including Johnnie Walker Red Label, Black Label, Gold Label and Blue Label*.
• Pre-game hors d’oeuvres in the Johnnie Walker Hot Stove Lounge.
• Raptors Game Day Program and a Johnnie Walker money clip.
Britain’s leading fine wines and spirits merchant, Berry Bros. & Rudd (BB&R), has announced that it has finalised an agreement under which it will sell the Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky brand to The Edrington Group, makers of The Famous Grouse and The Macallan.
Under the deal, BB&R will acquire The Glenrothes single malt brand from Edrington, which has signed long-term supply agreements to provide whisky fillings and stocks to BB&R. Edrington will retain ownership of The Glenrothes distillery.
The transaction will also involve Edrington acquiring all distribution contracts on Cutty Sark in force at the time of completion. The Edrington sales-and-distribution alliance (Maxxium) will continue to distribute The Glenrothes in key international markets and is also expected to provide a distribution option for other brands within BB&R’s super-premium spirits portfolio.
The agreement is due to be concluded by April 2010. The total consideration has not been revealed.
