WORLD WHISKY MONTH JUST ENDED

Just a short note about the Trump felony conviction.  President Joe Biden was asked at his press conference yesterday about this stunning turn of events.  He smiled and walked out.  He had addressed this matter at the beginning of his presentation.  It was short.  Over the next few weeks, no doubt his surrogates will keep bringing up the fact that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, again and again.  On June 27, at their first debate, his writing crew will toss in a couple of zingers, but chances are that Biden will maintain a presidential posture on this obvious embarrassment to Trump.  However, about the the optimistic view Biden presented on the Israel-Hamas-Gaza peace talks, today, Benjamin Netanyahu's office released a contradictory statement, saying nothing has changed.

Then, that potentially monumental day, July 11, when Judge Juan Merchan renders the sentence.  Will Stormy Daniels...or Melania Trump...be present???  From Trump's continued and idiotic recalcitrance, showing no remorse, it would not surprise me if he gets sent to jail for 4 years.  Merchan can do this without conscience, for he knows that Trump will appeal, and this process will go on into 2025, so the Republican candidate for president will be able to continue campaigning, through his nomination on July 11 Milwaukee and into November 5 election day.

How has this guilty verdict affected Republicans?  A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Friday indicated that 10% of Republican registered voters say they are less likely to vote for Donald Trump.  With a Supreme Court decision on Trump's immunity to come, plus three felony trials in Florida, DC and Georgia, it can only get worse, even if none of these trials occur by November 5.  But there is almost a 50-50 chance that  one of them will get started.  That poll to the right was taken before Trump became a felon.  So maybe conviction will hurt.

I started this posting while still on my around the world trip.  Took me this long to complete it.

Father's Day this year is June 16.  In 2026, it will occur on June 21, or summer solstice, the first day of summer.  Want to give a good whisky to your dad, and happen to feel he is really worth it?  Millennials last year spent an average of $100 for him last year, while other generations were closer to $50.  Just in the right range of a decent scotch.

Click on this Dekanta page.  

• I believe I have in my apartment half of them, some for more than a third of a century.
• What is Dekanta?  One of the largest specialist retailers of rare and fine Japanese whisky online.  That is founder Mikiyo Masa.  I don't know her, but here is an interview.  
• Oh, not sure if you can afford her whiskies.

• 
  What do I mostly drink?  Kirkland Blended Scotch Whisky because it is relatively cheap at $18/bottle, which has 25.36 ounces or 0.75 liters.  But we purchase the 1.75 liter size for around $25, the price of a typical okay scotch.
• There is a lot of lore behind Costco products, including booze.

• 
  Costco sells 100,000+ cases of scotch per year.  The distributor, Alexander Murray & Company, works with about 12 distilleries in Scotland, like Caol Ila, Tomintoul, Dalmore, Mrtlach, Glenrothes and Tullibardine to fill Costco scotch.  One rumor is that it is Tullibardine, but Macallan has been used in the past.  Some say it is Dewar's White Label with some added color.
• Kirkland's Signature Premium Small Batch Bourbon at $30 is probably by George Dickel after charcoal filtering.
• Read the article for tequila, vodka, Canadian whisky (Crown Royal?) and gin.
• 
  What is the difference between whisky and whiskey?  Whiskey is used for spirits distilled in Ireland and the USA, while whisky means it comes from Scotland, Canada and Japan.
• What is World Whisky Month?  
• As World Whisky Day is the third Saturday in May, some just make May World Whisky Month.
• Here is how you could have celebrated.
• Make your own bottle of whisky.
• Try a new whiskey.
• Host a whisky tasting party.
• 
  Don't do this in Scotland, but make a whiskey cocktail.  In fact don't even ask for ice in that country.  A little water is fine.  In the USA, bourbons are regularly cocktail-ized for Old Fashioned and Whiskey Sour.  Seven Seven (Seagram's 7 bourbon and Seven Up) is a common first drink for those just into alcohol.
• Pair Whisky with food, like smoky Rye with grilled meats, or oysters with Bourbon.

• In 2008, 21-year old Nikka Yoichi broke the ice by winning the 2008 the World Whisky Award for best single malt.  

The 2008 World Whisky Awards:

Blended Whisky
Suntory Hibiki 30

Single Malt Whisky
Yoichi 1987 20 years old

Whisky Liqueur
Wild Turkey American Honey
Grain Whisky
Compass Box Hedonism
New Release
Glenrothes 25 years old
Blended Malt Whisky
Blue Hanger 30 years old
American Whisky
George T Stagg

• 
  Dekanta sells the Hibiki 30 years old from Suntory for $12,500/bottle.  
• However, JapaneseDrams.com sells this bottle for only $7000.
• They also have the Hibiki 21 year old blended whisky for $900.
• Very confusing, for another site has JapaneseDrams.com selling it for $500.
• But frootbat.com has it for $1453.

• 
  Especially confusing is the Hibiki 12 year old blended whisky.
• I see prices from Drinkhacker for $45.  On the other hand, this was dated 2009.
• Dekanta = $530.
• Frootbat = $800.
• Something has happened to Hibiki, for there is now a Japanese Harmony Hibiki, selling at Kakaako Wine in Honolulu for $150.

• 
  However, Mira Loma Market has it for $85.
• And Sam's Club shows a price of $67.
• There is some tricky marketing going on because all these Hibikis come in what looks like the same kind of bottle.
• But not to worry about the lower price, for here is a taste test of the various Hibikis.  Not much difference.

Hibiki Harmony: 8.43 ± 0.94 on 7 reviews
Hibiki 12yo: 8.65 ± 0.27 on 13 reviews
Hibiki 17yo: 8.75 ± 0.43 on 8 reviews
Hibiki 21yo: 9.19 ± 0.32 on 4 reviews

• 
  I have a bottle of the 20 years old Yoichi in a Tokyo Westin bar.  
• Read this article about this Japanese scotch winning the World Whiskies Awards for the fourth time in 2016.  
• Prices today range from $3000 to $4500 and up.  
• 
  I feel a little guilty because we stayed at the Tokyo Westin on our recent global trip, went to what was once Compass Rose, and after upgrade, now called Sky Bar Escalier.
• I asked for "my" bottle and gave them my business card with the number of this Yoichi.

• 
  They couldn't find it.  No big deal because the Compass Rose is not there anymore, and the last time I used this bottle was before the pandemic.
• The next day, they called me up, apologized and said they found it.
• So off we went to get a drink, and, surely enough, here it was, about four-fifths still full.  
• However, my memory is that my bottle was almost empty.
• So I think they opened up a new bottle, took a little bit out, and gave me a few thousand dollars of this whisky.
• Masataka Taketsuru was the key to all this.  Below, with his Scottish wife.

These bottles below just won the 2024 World Whiskies Awards.    200 experts sifted through over 1500 whiskeys from more than 40 countries.

The competition named its World’s Best winners across 23 categories, including single malt, bourbon, blended, rye, pot still, and design. This year’s winners include The English Sherry Cask, which was named World’s Best Single Malt, 1792 12 Years Old, which was awarded the title of World’s Best Bourbon, and Ballantine’s 30 Years Old, which was named Best Blended.

The best 5 scotches.

• 
  Scotch was first distilled just before 1500, and introduced whisky to the global market.
• Two years after Columbus/America, Friar John Cor produced almost 1500 bottles.
• Two centuries later, Benedictine Monk Dom Pierre Pérignon is credited with shaping the aftermath for champagne.  He did not invent it.  But that's him to the right. 
• Friar?  Monk?  Religion and alcohol have a long history, going back to the origin of organized humanity.

• 
  What is a whisky/ whiskey?  
• Scotch, bourbon, rye, Irish whiskey, Japanese whisky, etc.
• But, scotch is distilled from malted barley, while bourbon must use corn.  
• Of course, rye uses rye mash.  Rye is a kind of wheat.

• 
  Scotch is whiskey, but not all whisky is scotch. Scotch must be made in Scotland, although there are minor exceptions to include other UK countries, but not Ireland.
• The UK sells the most whiskies in the world...but this list did not consider India.
• Top ten whiskies sold, with Jim Beam at #1.
• But Whisky Shop has a totally different list, with Yamazaki 12 Year Old Suntory 100th Anniversary Release at #1.
• Historically, Scotland has produced the most single malts.  However, last year, single malts from India sold 345,000 cases, bypassing Scotland at 330,000 cases.
• 
  Drinks International confirms that India is the largest producer of whiskies.  Mind you, they are produced from molasses, and do not meet European standards, but in 2022, 12 brands sold more than a million 9-liter cases.  The general opinion is that they certainly taste like other world whiskies.  The plan, further is to grow single malts by 35%/year.

• 
  So back to the 2024 World Whiskies Awards.
• Remember Dewars White Label?  Kind of the standard not so high cost scotch served everywhere.  This was the house whisky on certain cruises.  Well, Dewars Double 37 Years Old was named the World's Best Blended Malt.  Cost?  Around $2000 for half a bottle, meaning 375 ml.  
• Yet, I also see a half bottle for only $219.  Whoops that was only 32 years old.
• Here from Uncle Fossil, 375 ml for "only" $1550, with two Baccarat Crystal Glasses.

• 
  The Best Scotch Single Malt went to the English Distillery's 17 Year Old, which was only founded in 2006 in Norfolk, England.  Bested 25 bottles, including 6 from Scotland.  Apparently only costs $75/bottle.  But, of course, you won't be able to find it.

Aromas of ripe banana, pear, apricot, marshmallow, the mellow sweetness of honeysuckle, and wisps of smoke and ground cinnamon. Palate has notes of ripe stone fruit, cinnamon, buttery toffee, polished oak, green grass, and smoky hints. Medium body, with oily texture. The finish has notes of nutmeg and peppery spice, balanced with creamy vanilla. Water reveals notes of custard.

• You can read the details for Ballantine's 30 Year Old, the Octave Premium and Glen Scotia Cask 637.
• 
  World's Best Single Barrel Bourbon:  Four Roses.
• I first drank this decades ago.  
• Thought this was a scotch, until I ordered this in a New York bar on my latest trip.
• Turns out Four Roses is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon.
• Kirin of Japan acquired Four Roses around 2000.
• Whiskey Magazine also provided some details.

I should, thought I'd also mention the International Whisky Competition in Chicago, which began making awards in 2010.  They only use 10 experts.  Here are the latest winners, Gold #1, Silver #2 and Bronze #3.

TOP 15 Whiskies of 2023

1.    Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 1989 Mortlach 31-Year-Old - 54.2% ABV – 97.1 Pts (Speyside, Scotland), $1500 to $2000/bottle.

2.    Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky – 96.95 Pts (Taiwan), $350.

3.    Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice Caol Ila 1997 23-Year-Old - 59.9% ABV – 95.9 Pts (Islay, Scotland)

4.    Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky – 95.5 Pts (Taiwan)

5.    George T. Stagg – 95.3 Pts (Kentucky, USA)

6.    Kavalan Distillery Reserve Madeira Cask Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky – 94.9 Pts (Taiwan)

7.   Kavalan Distillery Reserve Peated Malt Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky – 94.8 Pts (Taiwan)

8.   Glenmorangie The Accord - 12 Year Old – 94.6 Pts (Highland, Scotland)

9.   Stagg - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 94.4 Pts (Kentucky, USA)

10.  Ardbeg BizzareBQ – 94.2 Pts (Islay, Scotland)

11.   Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky – 94 Pts (Taiwan)

12.   Dewar's Double Double - 37 Years Old – 93.8 Pts (Scotland)

13.   Stauning KAOS - Triple Malt Whisky – 93.75 Pts (Denmark)

13.   Kavalan Solist ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky – 93.75 Pts (Taiwan)

15.   Ardbeg Corryvreckan – 93.65 Pts (Islay, Scotland)

With 6 of the top 15, you ask, what is Kavalan?  This is a distillery from TAIWAN.  First made noise when in 2011 it won an icon award from Whisky Magazine, then in 2015 was awarded the World Whiskies Award for best single malt AND best single cask single malt.   If China attacks this country, who knows what will happen to the best whiskies in the world.

In 2014, Sullivans Cove French Oak Cask was named the World's Best Single Malt, winning another award in 2015, and again in 2019.  The distillery is in Tasmania.  

There are numerous distilleries in Tasmania.  Click on this for a list of 23 open for tours.  The ten best.

1. Lark Distillery. 380. Distilleries. ... 
2. Old Kempton Distillery. 177. Distilleries. ... 
3. Callington Mill Distillery. 212. Historic Sites. ... 
4. Hellyers Road Distillery. 126. Distilleries. ... 
5. Nonesuch Distillery. Distilleries. By 296kathp. ... 
6. Grandvewe Cheeses. 253. Farms. ... 
7. Southern Wild Distillery. Distilleries. ... 
8. Sullivans Cove Distillery. Distilleries. (#8???)

Well, we couldn't find the Sullivan's Cove in Sydney, Australia.  So, since Lark Distillery is #1, we bought a bottle of Tasmanian Dark Lark.  Cost $450 for a 500 ml bottle.  We popped it open to celebrate the guilty plea suffered by Donald Trump.

So for Father's Day, give him a Hibiki Japanese Blossom Whisky, especially if you can find it for $100 or less

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