I was just reading Richard Paterson’s blog.

He shares an email he received recently about a Whyte and Mackay whisky bottle found off the coast of Nova Scotia by a fan enjoying an afternoon of snorkeling. The bottle is described as having a raised Whyte and Mackay insignia on the front and is also marked on the back—miraculously, after what one would assume was some length of time in the ocean–the bottle is intact.

Richard is taking guesses as to the age of the bottle, the blog promises that a reader who guesses correctly might receive a little something special from the legendary Master Blender.

Here is a photo of the front view of the bottle , courtesy of Richard’s blog. You can see more photos and submit your guess pertaining to the age of the bottle by visiting his blog.

In recent weeks I’ve noticed a bit of an interesting phenomenon: everywhere I go young people are drinking whisk(e)y. To clarify, the travels I’m referring to are those of the social nature,  and at every bar and event a quick glance around the room always reveals a pleasing number of hands clutching rocks glasses of that tell-tale amber spirit. When I first came to work at Singlemalt TV I did so with an open mind, and a penchant for work-related “research.”  My friends would raise their eyebrows when I ordered a (insert whisk(e)y of the night) on the rocks, and would keep those brows raised as they watched me sip (and enjoy) the drink, savoring its nuances and relegating them to my mental log of tasting notes. I wrote in an earlier post about ordering a Blanton’s at a local establishment and watching the waitress deliver it to my male companion, assuming that his vodka/grapefruit was (naturally) my order. Though I’m not sure who was more embarrassed I can assure you that I knew she was wondering about a girl like me and a drink like that. It was hard to refrain from smiling.

Last night I ventured out to see a fairly hip Boston area band, as the driver I sipped water and observed (often a great point of view for a writer!), lo and behold whisk(e)y was the drink of the night. In the mostly 24 to 35 year old crowd I’d estimate one out of three was sipping a whisk(e)y. Though the pickings were slim at this establishment everyone seemed content with a Jameson or Glenlivet (they kind of had to be!). I was floored.

It seems that whisk(e)y, in all its glory is working the young crowd with ease. The next time, when it’s not my turn to drive, I’ll be looking forward to clinking glasses with my fellow whisk(e)y drinkers—hopefully somewhere with a wide variety of great drams to choose from.

What do you think? Leave us your feedback.

I’ve been exchanging emails for the past two weeks with Leslie Townsend, Founder and Director of New York’s inaugural multi-day celebration of the cocktail. Today I received the seminar schedule for their Fall Preview Seminar Series (this will preempt a May 2010 event). Each of the seminars is conducted by a member of the MCC’s advisory board which features several stars of the spirits world including Paul Pacult and Andy Seymour.

the seminars run the gamut—from congenial talks about about cocktail culture to intense discussions of the historical nuances of select spirits. This event looks fantastic and appears to have a great sense of humor. You can check out their website for more information—and stay tuned to Singlemalt TV as we’ll have an interview with Lesley coming soon.

Tickets for the seminars will go on sale September 7. The schedule goes a little something like this:

Saturday, October 3, 2009

“Have Cocktail Shaker, Will Travel”
“Cocktails for Your Home Cocktail Party”
“The Agave Session: The Magical Elixirs of Mexico”
“The Many Faces of Cognac & Armagnac”
“History of the Cocktail in New York, 1810-1920”

Sunday, October 4, 2009

“Audrey and Gary’s Unparalleled Gin Palaver”
“Glasses & Tools: How Do You Choose the Right Glass for a Drink?”
“Call of the Rye”
“Sherry: The Cobbler and Beyond”

We’ve talked a bit about food and whiskey pairings….but after interviewing Franz Scheurer and Jared Ingersoll about the American Whiskey tasting dinner they’re hosting next week in Sydney I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept. With the Kentucky Bourbon Festival around the corner I’m sure I will have the opportunity to taste some incredible bourbon and incredible food. Needless to say I wish I could be in Sydney to see the magic happen at next week’s  dinner.

Australia’s premier food and wine writer Scheurer and celebrated Chef Ingersoll have put together one tantalizing menu:

When the Fedex driver walks into our studio it usually means a new piece of camera/computer/broadcast equipment has arrived, but yesterday when I saw the tall skinny box, distinctly marked “this side up,” I knew immediately that it was no high tech gadget (don’t get me wrong, that’s exciting too). In fact, it was wholly the opposite. Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey is distilled in Denver and was created in a truly bizarre lemons-to-lemonade situation.

Neighbor’s George Stranahan and Jess Graber bonded over a shared passion for fine distilled spirits…as they watched Stranahan’s barn burn before them. Volunteer firefighter Jess Graber has responded to a report that Stranahan’s barn was on fire and in his attempt to control the flames I’m sure he could never have imagined the outcome of the seemingly horrible night. As the fire settled to embers the men discussed their appreciation for good drink, (and judging by the circumstances of their meeting I sincerely hope they were privy to a few choice libations). Of the rubble, literally, Colorado’s first and only microdistillery was born. Aged in new charred oak barrels for at least two years (our bottle was distilled on June 4, 2007 so presumably it’s spent relatively little time in the bottle) Stranahan’s has found its niche. They don’t advertise it but this whiskey is a single malt, actually made from locally produced Rocky Mountain barley. Stranahan’s is a proud one-trick-pony, producing this lone product with a remarkable level of success. Each bottle bears the barrel number and has a note, ours says, “barrel sampling today,” at 47% ABV and unchillfiltered that was probably all the commentary necessary. I will say this whiskey is one of the smoothest drinking I’ve had in a while, to me it tastes leafy and a bit botanical, but also substantial…sort of a dried-leaf and occasional hint of fruit with very earthy notes dominant to me at least ( in the interest of full disclosure I watch videos of Master Distillers passionately describing their whiskies as part of my job).

If you’ve had (or have) a bottle of Stranahan’s take a minute to submit whatever quip appears on your label, I bet there are some good ones!

….Wolffie will be presenting Stranahan’s with complete tasting notes a’la Wolffie next week on Singlemalt TV News, we’ve just got to make sure there’s some left….

As our Singlemalt TV film crew is busy packing for Scotland once again—this time they’ll be taking all of us with them, or interactively at least. The crew will be filming at Highland Park on Orkney and each day Gerry Tosh, Head of Brand Education at the historic distillery will be taking YOUR questions via a LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBCAST on SMTV!

Beginning August 24th Gerry will come online at 5:30 pm GMT to take viewer questions and field interactive discussions via a live streaming webcast from the distillery–exclusively on SMTV.  All you Highland Park devotees will have the chance to hear Gerry’s  answers to your queries about Scotland’s Northernmost distillery and the whisky produced there. With Highland Park’s rich history—it was originally settled by a sometimes preacher who hid his whisky beneath the church pulpit—you won’t want to miss this rare opportunity to converse with Gerry live from Highland Park.

Sit back with a dram of Highland Park and get your questions ready, we’ll provide all the details shortly.

August 8, 2009- FORMER JACK DANIEL’S MASTER DISTILLER, JIMMY BEDFORD, DIES AT 69

JIMMY BEDFORD, Former Master Distiller of Jack Daniel’s whisky died Friday at age 69. Bedford had been Master Distiller at the 143 year old distillery, the oldest registered distillery in the US, for 20 years and retired in 2008.

According to reports he had suffered a heart attack. His body was found near a barn on his farm in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Jimmy was widely known around the world from his attendance at numerous whiskey trade and consumer events “He was a friend and colleague to so many of us,” said Phil Lynch, a spokesman for Louisville, Ky.-based Brown-Forman, the parent company. “He was a major figure in the whiskey industry and will be missed.”

During his 40 years with Jack Daniel’s, starting at the distillery in 1968, Jimmy worked in all areas of the distilling process, yeasting, fermenting, milling and distillation.

I just spoke with SNP MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun Willie Coffey. Coffey has been one of the most adamant voices in the battle against Diageo’s restructuring, which includes shuttering an extraordinarily significant bottling plant. In addition to economically devastating Kilmarnock, the closure would effectively desecrate 189 years of history tying Johnnie Walker Scotch to Killie. A young Johnnie Walker opened his green grocer there in 1820, it was around that time that he began to make whisky to sell at his store. To date each bottle of Johnnie Walker Scotch still bears reference to Kilmarnock on the label and is bottled at the plant that is now at the mercy of Diageo.

Coffey drafted a PETITION that has received nearly 12,000 signatures to date. His most recent action was last week’s call to the Committee on the Economy for an inquiry into the Scotch Whisky Industry. Coffey got word early in the week that the committee will consider such an inquiry.

Stay tuned for a passionate and intriguing perspective from one of the men “on the front lines” of the fight to save Johnnie Walker.

Our interview will be online shortly.

Suggest a whisk(e)y that would be a perfect compliment to one of Wolffie’s Spam Rolls. The funniest entry….judged by Wolffie will be the winner.

You’ve seen our Singlemalt Sushi News Host Wolffie make some fine sushi—from beautiful tuna nigiri to last week’s fine tempura fried spam roll, and now you could use your love of whisky and sushi to win a Glencairn Water Jug and Glass Set.

Singlemalt TV wants to know what whisk(e)y you think would pair best with SPAM SUSHI!

We were skeptical ourselves at first…canned ham sliced, diced and rolled with all of the light, fresh ingredients we typically associate with sushi. It almost seemed sacrilegious! Lo and behold Wolffie had the crew pretty smitten with spam sushi by the end of the shoot. We want to hear from you! Leave us your suggestions as comments here and Wolffie will pick the winner and announce his choice on Thursday August 13. We will be accepting your entries until Monday August 10—Good Luck!