24_08
An idiot’s guide to drinking whisky — except I’m the idiot
By Lesego Chepape
Alchemy: Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s director of distilling, whisky creation and whisky stocks, is in South Africa to launch the brand’s Triple Cask Reserve. Photos: Supplied
As we are having dinner at the Patat Restaurant, at the charming Swartberg Country Manor, an upmarket lodge outside Oudtshoorn, I pick up a sense of contentment.
There is a fire roaring in the hearth of this rambling farmhouse, built in 1864, and we are a small group of media hacks on this marvellous freebie, being pampered with delicious food and fine whisky.
But I keep noticing the avuncular Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s director of distilling, whisky creation and whisky stocks, taking anxious glances at his phone. I ask him what the problem is.
“Rangers are playing — and they have not scored a goal yet,” he replies, with genuine concern, in his Scottish burr.
I glance over at his screen and see that his Glasgow team is playing the Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv.
I don’t know much about football — other than the tension Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates cause in my household.
After some conversation around the table about the two teams, I figure out that this game is important for Dr Bill (as everyone calls him), seeing it is a Uefa Champions League qualifier for the Gers.
After a few glasses of whisky had given me some liquid courage, I offer up a prayer.
Lo and behold, Rangers score a few minutes after my powerful plea, drawing in the dying minutes of the match. I now know what I will be doing in my retirement.
However, that’s not why I had the pleasure of meeting Dr Bill, who holds a PhD in biochemistry and is renowned for his ability to create fascinating new flavours in single malts, using inventive cask finishes.
He is in South Africa to launch the Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve.
The name is self-explanatory — it is made from three barrels, a method that is rarely used in the Scotch whisky industry.
“There are two or three reasons for that. The least sexy answer is that I actually had quite a lot of these barrels in my stock profile which I kept for a rainy day,” Dr Bill tells us.
“Then, when I started to think more seriously about the product, I was wanting something to be an entry-level Glenmorangie. A Glenmorangie that was going to be at a more accessible price point.
“I thought that this would be for people who are maybe not whisky experts and are more likely to be making cocktails or adding soda.”
He says, for that reason, he wanted to make something more full-bodied.
“The new charred-oak barrels and the rye whisky barrels are more flavoursome than my normal bourbon barrels and that’s the reason why I used them.”
While I am an enthusiastic whisky drinker, I am not the glass-tilting, deep-sniffing type.
So, when I am sitting at a table with proper whisky drinkers, I panic a bit. I know that I have to observe and do as they do. And, just by observation, I think I might have figured out whisky drinking.
First, take a moment to appreciate the colour. Hold the glass up to the light and pretend you know what you’re doing.
Next, give it a gentle swirl. This releases the aromas, which is what the pros call the “nose”.
Stick your nose in the glass and take a sniff. You might pick up notes of caramel, vanilla or oak — or maybe it just smells like alcohol. That’s okay, too.
Finally, take a sip. Let it roll around your mouth before swallowing. You’ll likely feel a bit of warmth in your throat, which is part of the experience.
Try to pick out flavours, even if they’re vague.
“Hmm, I’m getting hints of vanilla and spice,” you might say. No one needs to know you’re just guessing.
To be honest, with the Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve, there were spicy notes and some fruity ones that I picked up after tasting it a couple of times.
It was delicious, and what makes it more special is the fact that it works itself perfectly into cocktails, preserving its bold notes.
One wonders how Dr Bill balances traditional whisky-making methods with modern innovations.
“I never allow myself to be handcuffed by tradition but I respect tradition. I try to do different things while still sticking broadly to the old-fashioned principles of whisky-making,” he says.
“It is about balance and I am finding more and more these days that your typical malt whisky consumer, who will generally be more knowledgeable about whisky than maybe a blended Scotch whisky drinker, they are constantly looking for something new and something different.
“If you become too old-fashioned and too traditional, and never want to do anything interesting, then your brand will become irrelevant to these people,” he says.
Whisky culture can feel like a secret club but there are a few basic etiquette tips I learnt at the table to keep in mind.
First, don’t chug your whisky. This isn’t a varsity party; whisky is meant to be sipped and savoured.
Second, don’t be afraid to ask questions. People who love whisky usually enjoy sharing their knowledge, and you might learn something useful.
Finally, avoid being too pretentious. No one likes a whisky snob — especially one who’s still learning the ropes.
“I think people sometimes take Scotch malt whisky a little bit too seriously and it’s great to show reverence toward it — it is an expensive luxury product — but, more than anything else, it should be fun.”
Those words from Dr Bill put me at ease, the panic subsides and I am ready to enjoy the whisky.
Having spent a bit of time with Dr Bill, who has a career spanning almost 40 years, you realise how much he cares about the craft.
“My long-suffering wife realises that I am not really married to her, I am married to Glenmorangie. Glenmorangie is my first love.
“I am in a very responsible position of being the current guardian of the quality and character of Glenmorangie.
“I want people to remember me with smiles on their faces and say that Bill made whisky but he was a lot of fun as well.”
In the end, whisky is meant to be enjoyed, not stressed over. Sure, there’s a lot to learn, and you might feel out of your depth at first, but that’s part of the fun.
Embrace the journey, make mistakes and don’t take yourself too seriously. With a little practice, you’ll go from whisky idiot to whisky enthusiast in no time — just like I’m doing. Tags: Dr Bill Lumsden, friday, Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve, rangers, South Africa, Whisky
24_07
RUGBY
PHATASS EDITORIAL
THE ONLY TRUE FIELD SPORT LEFT ---- EXCITING TO WATCH BOTH THE
WOMAN AND MEN TEAMS – SIMPLY AMAZING TO VIEW WITHOUT ALL
THE CORRECTNESS THAN HAVE RUINED ALMOST EVERY SPORT OF THE
DAY. BASEBALL IS WATCHING THE GRASS GROW PLUS THE EXCITING
CROTCH ITCH; FOOTBALL HAS TO MANY RULES AND PENALTIES THE
CAN BARELY NOW ENCOURAGED PREVAILS, MOVE WITHOUT A FLAG; BASKETBALL
WHERE CONTACT, TRAVELING AND PALMING THE BALL ARE ACCEPTABLE
AND NOW REPRESENT GANG BANGER BALL; DON’T FORGET SOCCER IS EQUAL
TO BASEBALL BUT MORE ATTUNED TO WIND SPRINTS EXERCISE AND LAST WAY TOO
LONG. DON’T FORGET THAT POLITICAL CORRECTNESS COUNTS MORE THAN THE
SCORE
RUGBY IS ALIVE AND WELL AND WE ARE FORTUNATE THERE ARE COLLEGE
TEAMS IN TIJUANA, ENSENADA AND MEXICALI – STOP PANDERING THE CRAP
PROFESSIONAL LEAGUES. GO EXPERIENCE THIS REFRESHING SPORTING EVENT
EVEN THE WOMAN TEAM AND ALL THE BARBIES END UP BRUISED AND
BANDAGED ALONG WITH THE MEN TEAMS
Copy and paste the link to see the video
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/avenging-painful-france-defeat-would-cap-phenomenal-season-for-steph-else/
WHERE FARIES STILL LIVE
Ueno Farm
For a fusion of English-style gardens with Hokkaido’s plant life, head to Ueno Farm.
By Elizabeth Sok
Although it was known as a dairy farm for much of its history, Ueno Farm transformed in the early 2000s. Since then, it has become synonymous with the Hokkaido-style garden, which draws on English inspiration and northern flora. At the turn of the millennium, Ueno Farm’s owner, Ueno Sayuki, traveled to the UK to study English-style gardening. Returning to Hokkaido, she aimed to create a version of the gardens she toured in England. Over the last 20 years, the garden at Ueno Farm has steadily developed and gained fame for the site and Ueno herself, who is recognized as a pioneer of Hokkaido-style gardens.
Ueno Farm’s Ten Zones
Photo by: PIXTA/ はーる The Gnome Garden
Ueno Farm is divided into ten separate spaces, which are connected via several paths. Mimicking English-style gardens, the farm uses stone walls, fences and plant life to distinguish one area from the next. The Gnome Garden features wildflowers and grasses surrounding a Gnome’s home. Wild in appearance, this area is meant to have a fantastical vibe. According to Ueno, gnomes come out at night to tend to the garden.
The Mirror Border has two walls of plants on either side of a stone path stretching out to a single bench. The flora here has been planted symmetrically so each wall of greenery matches the one facing it.
Another popular spot is Shateki Mountain. Once used as a shooting range by Japanese soldiers, it is now a panoramic vantage point overlooking the mountains of the Kamikawa Basin. The top of the hill is notable for its arrangement of seven colorful chairs from which to enjoy the scenery.
Seasonal Flowers
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Photo by: PIXTA/ 東洋 Feel like you’re in a picture book.
Ueno Farm has flowers that bloom throughout the year. In late April, the base of Shateki Mountain has wild grasses emerging from the cold months while Christmas roses and narcissus begin to flower elsewhere. In June, temperatures begin to rise, and ornamental onions appear, especially in the Gnome’s Garden. With the gnome house in the background, the flowering plants transform this area into an even more magical setting. When the weather begins to cool off in the autumn months, visit Ueno Farm for its changing foliage, dahlias and autumn roses.
Amelia Earhart's Derry landing celebrated in art
A mural celebrating Londonderry’s place in aviation history has been unveiled during a four-day
street art festival in the city.
The Amelia Earhart artwork – thought to be Northern Ireland’s tallest mural - can be seen
on the side of the North West Regional College’s Foyle building.
It’s the work of North Carolina street artist Jeks, one of a number of artists in Derry for the
Get Up Street Art Festival, which is featuring as part of the Foyle Maritime Festival programme.
Festival-goers have been watching the piece as it has been created over the weekend.
Almost a century ago Ms Earhart touched down in the city, becoming the first woman to fly
solo across the Atlantic.
Nicole McElhinney of the Amelia Earhart Legacy Association said the organisation is “absolutely delighted” with the mural.
“It’s something we have always wanted to see, we have been very excited watching
it coming together,” she told BBC News NI.
Ms Earhart, she said, is more than befitting of the artistic honour, adding that
the pioneering pilot had truly “broken the glass ceiling”.
She was flying planes at a time “when so very few women even drove a car,”
Ms McElhinney said.
In May 1932, Amelia Earhart had taken off from Newfoundland in Canada, attempting to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.
Hoping to land in Paris, bad weather and technical problems altered her course.
Her 14-hour journey ended abruptly when she was forced to bring her
Lockheed Vega 5B plane down in the Gallagher family's field on the outskirts of Derry.
There she stayed the night, later writing that having landed without any money,
Mr Gallagher, "owner of the field in which I landed, assured me, however, that I had no occasion to worry about money 'as we will see you through'".
'An iconic female pioneer'
Artist Jeks started work on the mural – which the local council claim is the tallest
in Northern Ireland - on Thursday, using a cherry picker to get to its near rooftop location.
Derry City and Strabane District Council's head of culture Aeidin McCarter said it was
one of a number of "striking pieces" created during the festival.
She added: “It’s only fitting that we celebrate this iconic female pioneer who has such
strong associations with the city, and what a wonderful way to do it”.
Five years after her landing in Gallagher’s field, Ms Earhart vanished during her
attempt to fly around the globe, leaving no trace.
The new mural is now among a number of homages to the aviator in Derry.
She is remembered by the street names Earhart Park and Amelia Court, while in 2019 the
Amelia Earhart Legacy Association unveiled a plaque outside the former Northern Counties
Hotel, where a post landing press conference was held back in 1932.
Ms Earhart's links to Derry have been remembered before in an artistic sense in the city.
A mural by artist Joe Campbell was unveiled close to her landing site during a series of events
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