Glenmorangie Signet

The FNB Whisky Live Festival 2010 held little that was new and interesting in the way of untried whiskies, with the exception of a few malts. The ludicrously bling bottle and casing of Glenmorangie's Signet stood out, but what was inside was even better.

This whisky, which is a culmination of over 20 years worth of ideas and 10 years of actual vision is priced at R1899 a bottle: a hefty price for an un-aged whisky in a market which has had increasing onus placed on the age of a malt (single or blended). However, the quality is evident from the nose to the finish and the fact that it tastes so amazing should over-rule any skepticism you have about it. For those who still want an age, the minimum is a 10 year-old (stored in designer casks of American oak made specifically for Glenmorangie), along with a variety of different sherry and oak casks, storing some single malts for up to 35 years.

What makes this whisky unique is its 15-20% composition of a chocolate malted barley. This barley is not of a different variety, but it is dried or roasted for longer, similar to ales, which is why it has the darker amber colour. A usual barley tastes sweet and almost like a cereal, whereas the chocolate malt is hard, charred and caramelized. This is also why such a coffee taste comes through in the whisky. The chocolate malt has been described as the espresso of malts compared to a regular cappuccino. It has resulted in a very untraditional bottling from this well reputed distillery.

Starting from swirling the liquid in a glass you can see it's extraordinary viscosity as the vapour trails stick to the sides. The nose is full of coffee notes, apricot, citrus and hints of chocolate with an anticipation of sweetness, which follows through into a sweet tasting, spice filled, flavour explosion with a long dry finish.

If you can afford this bottle, it won't disappoint. Get me some more is all I can say...

The Return of the Denim Jacket

Not that it was ever really gone, but there seems to be an imminent revival of this classic wardrobe item. A denim jacket is easy to wear, and it is something that is also easy to look stylish in. The denim jacket is quick to throw on, looks good with most outfits and is super versatile. You can dress it up or down to suit the occasion. It is also a statement piece, part of what made James Dean and Marlon Brando such bad-asses.

Quick tip, you can wear a denim jacket with almost anything, except and this is a big NO... you cannot wear a denim jacket with the same colour or wash jeans. It doesn't work, and it never will.

But if you pull it off, while you might not look like John Lennon or Brandon Flowers, the respective frontmen for The Beatles (did I really need to tell you) and The Killers, you will certainly feel like a rock-star. While it doesn't come on the guarantee, it is woven into the garment.

The other great thing about a denim jacket is how it really becomes a personal piece as it moulds to your body and goes through wear and tear over time, with the fade and scratches it will pick up only adding to it.

Generationals - Summer happiness you can Trust.

The Generationals are one crazy piece of hot from New Orleans. They have just released their second EP, Trust. Trust me, it's good. When you get cravings for more, satisfy them with their LP, Con Law from last year. Originally made up of Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer the band has just picked up Tess Brunet as their drummer and the Trust EP shows all the bass thumping, 60's-proof action that she puts forward, with enough tambourine to keep you going while the summer slides by. Their music is watermelon sliced, bleached blonde hair, sand in-between your toes, poolside summer sun in a tune.


Stop by their site for 5 FREE downloads or check out their MySpace here. If neither of those quite do it for you, listen to snippets of Con Law on their website media player right this way... And lastly on the free tracks parade, there are two downloads over at last.fm. Enjoy

Ears Out for Alex Winston

Alex Winston is the needle in the haystack of aspiring female artists: and she has been found. After moving to New York City this year from Detroit to work with production duo The Knocks, she has released an EP of covers and a few singles of her own, all of which hold much promise for the future. The EP is available for download here and features covers by well known artists such as Mumford and Sons, The Rolling Stones and Jack Penate. It was one of her own songs "Animal Baby" which really caught my ear with its foot tapping, cheer making abilities all glossed over with a voice of syrup. Her MySpace page has all info about tours, songs and her bio. Keep your ears posted for one of these songs to hit an FM radio near you...soon.

Fox in the Henhouse always UP my mood...

Fox in the Henhouse is the latest project from Baltimore based musician Ryan Escolopio who has ventured into the Indie-Rock scene, recording the bands new self-titled album in his own music studio (iBOT Records). The album released on October 12th with singles "Up" and "Fear", being super catchy giving much promise to the LP. Escolopio's superb vocals, coupled with upbeat percussion & bass lines make their sound unique and leaving little to be desired. I would also keep an eye on this guy for future signings, as he clearly has production talent. Check out their MySpace here.

Come Around Sundown came around sunrise.

Today was the day. Kings of Leon released their 5th studio album in the UK and it will hit shelves in the US tomorrow. Come Around Sundown keeps in toe with all previous albums' five syllable titles and if you are like me, then the first thing you did this morning was download it off iTunes. I've given it a listen and can already flag Pony Up, Birthday and Mary, but will soak it up some more before I release a review.

The pressure was on the Nashville based group to produce some amazing sounds in this album. After exploding onto the commercial scene with singles Sex on Fire and Use Somebody off their 4th album Only By the Night in 2008, new fans were itching for this material. More scarily they face their harshest critics, those who have been with them since the release of Youth and Young Manhood in 2003. The weeks to come will be interesting in terms of how the album is received and a review is to follow shortly.

£100000 for a bottle of Scotch...

The world of whisky is one of quality where age comes into play, with time spent in a cask increasing the price. A really great 21-year old will set you back more than £100 but usually not too much more. Last week, two bottles of Dalmore Trinitas sold for £100 000, the highest figure ever paid for a bottle of whisky. The 64-year old single malt is said to contain some of the oldest whiskies in Scotland, some which have been quietly waiting in casks around Cromarty Firth for more than 140 years.

The Dalmore’s Master Distiller Richard Paterson used his expertise to fuse a range of these exclusive malts together. He claimed this was not about breaking world records but about making the best whisky money can buy.

Whisky 101

Before my next post, I figured I'd explain a little bit about whisky so that you understand the basics. Whisky, spelt with a "y" at the end is the spelling for Scotch, whereas Irish and American (bourbons) are spelt with an "ey".

The name "whisky" comes from the ancient Scottish and Irish Gaelic names for "water of life", Malt Whisky is made from malted barley. Malting the barley causes it to germinate, converting the starch into sugars which makes fermentation possible. The malt is then dried over a peat-burning furnace. Peat is the dried soil and gives the whisky a distinct flavour. After fermentation, distillation takes place in a pot still. The process is usually repeated twice.

Isley whiskies which are often referred to as "peaty" have a very strong flavour, sometimes described as medicinal. This is because the peats from the islands and coastal areas have a much higher seaweed content which imparts the strong flavour which a small handful enjoy, A common example is Laphroaig.

Single Malt whisky is malt whisky made in only one distillery and not blended with any other product from elsewhere. It may contain whisky from several production batches made over a couple of years. A popular example is Glenfiddich.

Blended Whisky has a variable proportion of blended malt and grain whiskies. A grain whisky is made from unmalted barley or other unmalted grain such as maize or wheat.

Check out these sites to get in the know on distilleries, etc.

http://www.scotchwhisky.net/

http://www.edinburghwhiskyblog.com/

http://www.whisky.com

Duck Sauce take Barbara Streisand for a night on the town.

Duck Sauce are a collaborative duo made up of DJ's Armand van Helden and A-Trak. Both already established as solo artists they have provided a punch since last year when they formed a team. Their latest single "Barbara Streisand", just released this month has caught the cochlea's of DJ's around the world and after barely a week in the sunshine I heard it in two clubs last night. The "whoooo-whoooo-whoooo" is enough to get anyone onto the dancefloor and this track is an instant head bopper. My bet is that it'll see the Southern Hemisphere through the filthiest of summer nights as one of the biggest floor filling anthems to come.

The Shout Out Louds didn't have to "Work" hard for my approval.

Swedish Indie group the Shout Out Louds have come onto my radar in a big way this year. With the release of their third LP entitled "Work" in February of this year they have shot onto the top of my recommended list with a super polished sound so smooth and defined. Comparable to Band of Horses and The XX their sound is supported with an array of instruments including violin, keyboard, accordion & glockenspiel. Adam Olenius lends a killer voice to the ensemble with other members providing plenty of "dooo-duh-da-da" backing vocals. The whole album is a must for your 2010 collection, but sample "Moon" and their first single off the album "Fall Hard" to get an idea of what joys you're in for. This is a collective of experiences who channel their souls into each melody they play out so that you feel it in your bones and get shivers down your spine for an anticipated bass thumbing or vocal harmony. Pure Gold.