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Muncie Scotch Whisky Society Tasting

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Provenance, Terroir and Understanding Some Differences Between Bourbon and Single Malt Scotch Whisky

I travelled to the United States in summer last year to host a series of Scotch Whisky Tasting Experiences in a number of settings including at a wonderful shop in Indianapolis called Storied Company and a very special tasting in hall for the Muncie Scotch Whisky Society.

I was kindly invited to stay in Muncie with my friends Bob and Paaige. I began to understand a lot of the differences between single malt Scotch whiskies and Bourbons almost immediately when I arrived in the US. Firstly, stepping off the plane to experience 40 degree heat and humidity like I’ve never experienced before.

Casks sleeping in rickhouses (what we call warehouses in Scotland) must mature in a very different way in these vastly different conditions. The casks must even mature differently in various locations in the rickhouses, those nearer the roof for example will be sitting in higher temperatures and humidity levels I would have thought. Indeed at one distillery we visited, the distillery operatives were maturing meats in various locations within a single rickhouse, just to see how differently they mature. More on this in a later post.

The Importance of Corn

A huge difference between how Bourbon whiskey is produced and how single malt Scotch whisky is produced is that when you mill your grains you have what is called a mash bill, a recipe of grains that begin to make the DNA of the whiskey that you are producing. By law, when you are making spirit destined to become Bourbon, your mash bill must be made up of a minimum of 51% corn (or maize as it is sometimes called). The rest of the mash bill can be a mixture of any grains that you would like such as rye, wheat or barley.

Single malt Scotch whisky is made exclusively from malted barley. By law, it cannot be made with any other grains. If other grains are used to make the spirit it will be destined to become grain whisky, single grain whisky or blended Scotch whisky. Corn is therefore a big difference.

On my first day staying in Muncie my hosts kindly took me to a local farmers market to find some ears of corn. We took them home, boiled them up and served with much butter and salt and I can honestly say I have never tasted corn like it, much sweeter than the corn back in the UK. I think that given that corn is such a large part of the mash bill, that sweetness goes some way to explain how new make spirit from a distillery producing Bourbon is so much sweeter as well as the faster maturation created by the temperature and humidity in the rickhouses which I mention above.

Muncie Scotch Whisky Society Single Malt Whisky Tasting Experience

During the afternoon we headed over to the local community hall, a very large room and perfect for our whisky tasting that evening. There was plenty of room to seat all 60 of our guests as well as having space for a huge spread of charcuterie skillfully prepared by chef Jason which all enjoyed with our selection of fine single malt Scotch whiskies.

It was great to see so many people attend the event, to meet lots of new people and make new friends as well as seeing lots of familiar faces of those who have joined our Guided Distillery Experiences in Scotland in the past and meeting others that have booked to join is there in 2024 and 2025.

The Set List for Our Whisky Tasting in Indiana, USA

During the evening we tasted six single malt whiskies from around Scotland each having different flavour profiles. We tasted two drams from Speyside , two from Islay in the Southern Hebrides, one from the Isle of Mull and another from Orkney. The whiskies were of various strengths from 43% abv (86 proof in the US) to 60.1%abv (120 proof in the US).

Here is the set list for our tasting:

  1. Benromach 15 year old Speyside single malt whisky. Established 1898, Forres, Moray. Now owned by independent bottler Gordon and Macphail in Elgin. This whisky was matured in American oak and sherry casks. Bottled at 43%abv (86 proof)
  2. Tobermory 12 year old island (Mull) single malt whisky. Established 1798, Tobermory, Mull. Owned by Distell. 1 million ltrs production per annum production. This whisky was matured in American oak. Bottled at 46.3%abv (92 proof) with no colouring and no chill filtration.
  3. Highland Park 15 year old island (Orkney) single malt whisky. Established 1798, Kirkwall, Mainland Orkney. Owned by Edrington Group. 2.5 million ltrs production per annum. Bottled at 44%abv (88 proof). This whisky was matured in treated European and American oak casks. Once, when working in a shop at the beginning of my whisky journey, I had to threaten to call the police when a customer got so angry when I wouldn’t accept that Highland Park was in fact a Speyside single malt whisky and not from Orkney at all. (True story).
  4. The Glenallachie 15 year old Speyside single malt whisky. Established 1967, Aberlour. Owned by The Glenallachie Consortium. 4 million ltrs per annum production capacity but currently only producing 500000 ltrs per annum. Bottled at 46%abv (92 proof) with no colouring and no chill filtration. This whisky was predominantly matured in sherry casks (both oloroso and pedro ximenez)
  5. Bunnahabhain Cask Strength 2023 release 12 year old Islay single malt whisky. Established in 1881 North of Port Askaig, Isle of Islay. Owned by Distell. 2.7 million ltrs production per annum. Bottled at 60.1%abv (120 proof). This whisky was matured in oloroso sherry casks.
  6. Caol Ila 12 year old Islay single malt whisky. Established 1846, Port Askaig, Isle of Islay. Owned by Diageo. 6.5 million ltrs production per annum. This whisky was bottled at 43%abv and matured in second fill American oak hogseads.

Thanks to all at Muncie Scotch Whisky Society

I would like to thank everyone at Muncie Scotch Whisky Society for having me host this very special whisky tasting, it was so great to meet you all on such a lovely evening in Indiana. There were great whisky questions from all of the group. It was great to catch up with lots of people who have joined me in Scotland on our Guided Distilleries Experiences in the past and some who are joining us on trips in the future.

Special thanks must go to Bob and Paaige who were wonderful hosts for the first few days and who made my first ever trip to the United States at all possible. I’m especially grateful for being shown the sights of Indiana and for being kept topped up with corn, the best bacon butties I’ve ever had and Chardonnay.

Coming Next!

Next up is more about the trip to the USA post Indiana as I venture across to Kentucky and the Bourbon Trail to learn all about Bourbon. Watch this space for more…….

Contact Me!

If you are interested in having me host a whisky (or whiskey) tasting for you or if you are interested in visiting Scotland on one of our week long Guided Distillery Experiences please complete the form below and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Alternatively give me a call on 07875 405 980. David.

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Distilled Events & Friends in the USA

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Single Malt Whisky Tasting Experiences in the USA

A few months ago I was asked by my friend Bob who has joined many of my week long whisky experiences in Scotland, if I would be interested in hosting a series of Scotch whisky tastings in the USA. I had never been to The States before so I jumped at the chance. I dug out my passport, booked my tickets and off I headed to Indiana followed by an extensive tour of the Bourbon distilleries of Kentucky.

I’m hoping to write about the trip over a series of blog posts so watch this space if you would like to read about my tour of many distilleries in Kentucky.

Whisky Tasting Experience for Storied Company in Indianapolis

First up for the series of events was at a great shop in Indianapolis called Storied Company. Storied is a fantastic wine and spirits merchants which is ran by Denis Lynch and Simon O’Grady. Denis and Simon like to stock wines and spirits that have been produced by smaller, independent wineries and distilleries especially those that have an interesting story to tell.

I hosted two sessions at Storied, for around 40 guests in each. The tasting took place with myself and the guests lined up with glasses of whisky ready to taste on a table that ran all around the balcony on the upper floor. Each tasting session lasted around an hour with an hour in between to set up the second event.

The room in Storied was beautifully lit and made for a relaxing ambience for our whisky tasting guests. Being relaxed, our guests asked lots of great and interesting questions which always helps to make a tasting go really well.

The Whisky Set List at Storied Company

Here are the whiskies that our guests enjoyed at the Scotch whisky tasting at Storied Company:

  • Elements of Islay LN2 Small Batch Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky. 59.5% from Bruichladdich Distillery, Isle of Islay. Bottled by Elixir Distillers. This was a single Amercan oak barrel which yielded just 216 bottles.
  • Elements of Islay BN10 Small Batch Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky. 54.3%abv. Bunnahabhain Distillery, Isle of Islay. Bottled by Elixir Distillers. This was a marriage of 3 American oak hogsheads which yielded a total of 732 bottles.
  • Caol Ila 10 year old Islay Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky. 56.4%abv bottled by Inglered. This was a single American oak hogshead which yielded 295 bottles.
  • Caol Ila 9 year old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled by Five Lions. This was an single American oak cask.
  • Laphroaig 9 year old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky. 61.4%abv. Bottled by Single Malts of Scotland (Elixir Distillers). This was a single American oak hogshead.
  • Port Askaig 18 year old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky. 50.8%abv. Bottled by Elixir Distillers. This was a single bourbon barrel filled in 2000 and limited to 250 bottles.

It was a privilege to present such a wonderful flight of rare expressions and all of the guests loved the whiskies and the event itself. It isn’t often I get the chance to talk about whiskies of such limited supply. All of the whiskies were from either single casks or a very small marriage of casks. Everyone went home very happy indeed.

One guest waited until the end of the second session, and after almost all of the other guests had left the room he came to speak to me. He proudly showed me a photo he had on his phone of his bottle of 30 year old Caol Ila single malt whisky which was released in 2015. At the time it was the oldest Caol Ila ever to be bottled by the distillers and I’m very proud to have my name on it.

“I’ve travelled from Alabama to meet you tonight David” the man said to me and I thanked him for coming after he told me about how much he had enjoyed the tasting. My geography of the USA isn’t very good so I checked with google maps how far the drive was that the gentleman and his partner had made, a journey of 700 miles each way!

I’d like to thank Denis and Simon for having me host the tastings at Storied Company and I very much look forward to coming back in the future.

Whisky Tasting for the Muncie Scotch Whisky Society

After the tasting we headed off towards the town of Muncie, Indiana. Bob was keen to give me a proper US diner experience so we had a late night, and well deserved feast it one of his favourite restaurants, Portillo’s, and very good it was too. The perfect way to end the evening!

The following day we would host a whisky tasting for members of the Muncie Scotch Whisky Society. I’ve posted a couple of photos below but more about this in a future blog post.

Contact me!

I host bourbon tastings as well as Scotch whisky events. If you are interested in a whisky (or whiskey!) tasting experience wherever you are, please call me on 07875 405 980 alternatively, please complete the contact form below and I will be back to you as soon as possible.

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Whisky tasting events in Europe

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Did you know that Distilled Events also hosts whisky tasting events overseas as well as the UK? Our whisky experiences are uniquely designed around the requirements of clients, so if you belong to a whisky club in Europe or the US, David can share his wealth of knowledge by putting together an exclusive whisky tasting experience just for you and your guests. We would love to talk to you about how Distilled Events can help you to make sure your event is remembered for a long time afterwards. Call David Wood on 07875 405980 or contact Distilled Events to learn more about our exclusive whisky tasting experiences.

Caol Ila masterclass in Oslo

David was delighted to present his first Caol Ila Masterclass to Norwegian whisky enthusiasts in such a famous Oslo institution. He is passionate about his favourite whisky and how the island of Islay assaults the senses with every sip taken. Guests at the Masterclass enjoyed a dram of five different Caol Ila malt whiskies, while David took them through the complexities of flavour and talked about his experiences of living on this beautiful island while producing some of the best malt whisky in the world. Those lucky enough to attend the tasting event enjoyed two and a half hours of the magic of Islay through the evocative tasting of these special whiskies: 

·         Caol Ila 12 year old single malt whisky

·         Caol Ila Distillers Edition 2021 release

·         Caol Ila Distillers Edition 2022 release

·         Caol Ila Managers Choice 2009 

·         Caol Il 35 year old (the oldest proprietary Caol Ila ever released) 

Whether a complete novice or a whisky expert, everyone was led on a tasting journey to develop an appreciation of the flavour profile of these special whiskies, evocative of the isle of Islay. and everyone learned something new at the event.

David answered lots of audience questions about the distilling process and what it was like to live and breathe whisky on Islay during his time as Caol Ila Distillery Manager. The whole evening was such a resounding success, that the Dr Jekyll whisky club has invited David back to present two more events in October!

What is a Masterclass in whisky tasting?

Masterclasses are a great idea if you want to learn more about whisky. Where it comes from, how it is made and the complex flavour profiles unique to each distillery location that gradually develop through the distilling and aging processes. David is a very accomplished host and will talk those attending through different whisky related topics such as:

·         Glassware selection

·         Serving whisky (including controversial subjects such as serving with ice or water!)

·         Brief history of Scotch whisky

·         The journey of whisky, from field to table

And the great news is that you can also experience an event like this at your private party or whisky club, in the UK, Europe or the US. Call David on 07875 405980 or contact us for more information about a Distilled Events whisky tasting experience, and you can enjoy a little bit of Scotland, no matter where you are in the world!   However, if you would prefer the real life experience, David also offers guided distillery experiences in Scotland where he shares his knowledge and expertise as he takes you to visit some of the best regarded distilleries the country has to offer.  You will experience whisky production first-hand as you immerse yourself in our wonderful, escorted distillery tours, and of course a wee dram or two along the way!

Whisky Tour

Contact Us

If you would like further information about our whisky tastings please complete the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible, alternatively call David on +44 7875 405 980.

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Whisky Tasting Experiences in London

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Whisky experience in London

Distilled Events hosts whisky tasting events in London and the surrounding areas. We design our whisky experiences around the individual requirements of each and every client, so it perfectly reflects their wishes. No matter what the function, whether you are staging a corporate event, a meeting or a conference, our whisky experience in London is the perfect way to entertain your guests or delegates. We make sure your event is one to remember by enticing people into the world of single malt whisky, imparting knowledge while ensuring guests feel part of an authentic experience.

If you want your event to last long in the memory of your guests or delegates, call David Wood on 07875 405980 or click here to contact Distilled Events. We would love to hear about your event and discuss how a whisky experience in London can make your event stand out from the crowd.

Scotch Whisky – a success story

According to the Scotch Whisky Association, 44 bottles of Scotch whisky are exported every second to markets worldwide, totalling 1.3 billion annually. In 2021, Scotch whisky amounted to 22% of all UK food and drink exports, worth £4.5 billion to the economy. This has grown even more since the pandemic bounce-back, with exports worth a massive £6.2 billion in 2022.

This renaissance of interest in scotch whisky has been created by imaginative advertising to appeal to a younger demographic. It has blazed a trail for other spirits to follow – firstly gin, and now rum. This renewed fascination has led to a thirst for knowledge about where and how Scotch whisky is made and an appreciation of the complexity of flavours within. It is our pleasure at Distilled Events to entertain, delight and even educate your guests or delegates through our exclusive whisky experience in London.

Why choose Distilled Events for your whisky tasting in London?

The answer to this question is simple. We are like no other whisky experience in London that you may have been to. What makes Distilled Events so exclusive, is that our host, David Wood, is not a salesman for any whisky brand or an ex mixologist! He is completely independent and therefore not affiliated to a particular brand. He only serves whiskies that he loves to your guest or delegates, single malts he is passionate about. He relates how they have been distilled and matured, drawing people into their individual stories, inviting them to taste those stories for themselves.

David has worked in the whisky industry for almost 30 years. He knows whisky inside out, building his extensive knowledge from working at the ‘coal face’ of iconic distilleries along the West cost of Scotland, including time as a distillery manager  at the famous Caol Ila Distillery on the remote Isle of Islay in the Hebrides. He has also bottled and retailed his own single malt whiskies. But his speciality is to bring his enjoyment to others. David excels at sharing his passion for single malt whisky, bringing a little bit of Scotland to London. Your guests will find our exclusive whisky tasting events entertaining, engaging, enjoyable and above all, authentic.

What to expect from a Distilled Events whisky experience in London?

We will create a bespoke malt whisky tasting, serving whiskies that we love, whiskies that speak about where they were distilled and matured. Our events are created individually for you, so if you have a preference about which malt whiskies you would like us to feature, we are happy to do so.

·         We liaise with you and the venue throughout the process to ensure that we deliver the perfect whisky experience for your event.

·         We provide all glassware for the whisky tasting, so this is one thing you can cross off your list!

·         We will hand-pick a selection of quality single malt whiskies from across Scotland, guaranteed to delight people attending your event.

Our host David is extremely knowledgeable and skilled at delivering the perfect whisky tasting event to both experienced and novice tasters and his passion for malt whisky is infectious! Your guests will sample a dram of our hand-picked selection of single malt whiskies while David takes them through his tasting notes. He will also explain a little about each distillery and the beauty of its surroundings, bringing a little piece of Scotland to your whisky experience in London.

We can also make our whisky tasting events extra special by offering a delicious optional extra! At your request, we can pair specially selected malt whiskies with mouth-watering handmade chocolates from The Highland Chocolatier, Iain Burnett. A Master Chocolatier, Iain and his team create a range of delectable Velvet Truffles® for Michelin starred chefs and VIP gifts throughout the world, from his base in Grandtully near Pitlochry in the Scottish Highlands. If this sounds like the perfect tasting event for your function, you may like to read about a series of whisky and chocolate pairing tasting events we hosted recently at the London O2 Intercontinental Hotel. Booking a whisky tasting with Distilled Events will ensure your London event will linger in the memory of guests or delegates, long after the event itself has finished. Given our host David’s experience of the whisky industry, you can have complete peace of mind that your guests or delegates will enjoy an engaging, entertaining, enjoyable, informative and authentic whisky experience in London. If you would like more information, to check availability or make a booking, contact us today! Alternatively, you can call David on 07875 405980, who would love to hear about your event and discuss how a Distilled Events malt whisky tasting can make it an extra special experience for your guests.

Contact Us

If you would like more information about our whisky tastings please complete the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible, alternatively call David on 07875 405 980.

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Whisky and Chocolate Tastings in London

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Whisky and Chocolate Pairing for your Event in London

We host exclusive whisky and chocolate pairings in London. This is the perfect tasting for your office party, corporate event or private function. Whiskies can pair brilliantly with single malt whisky and it is a great way to get people who think they don’t like Scotch to try it!

At our whisky and chocolate tastings in London we serve a selection of classic single malt whiskies from around Scotland with handmade, highly decorative and beautiful chocolates from Iain Burnett, The Highland Chocolatier in Grandtully in the Highlands.

The chocolates that we serve have been skilfully made to pair perfectly with specific single malt whiskies. At your tasting, as well as talking about each of the drams we have served we will explain exactly why we have selected each of the chocolates you enjoy with them.

(pics above courtesy of The Highland Chocolatier)

Whisky Tasting in London

Your whisky tasting in London will be hosted by David Wood. David has worked with whisky for nearly 30 years. He has worked in every aspect of the industry from working at the coal face of whisky production in iconic distilleries in Scotland to bottling and retailing his own single malt whiskies. For many years David was Distillery Manager at the mighty Caol Ila Distillery on the remote Isle of Islay in the Hebrides.

You can be sure that when we host a whisky tasting for you that your guests will find it to be an enjoyable, engaging, informative and above all authentic experience.

We provide everything needed for the tasting including the chocolates, the whisky, water and glassware. Usually our clients arrange the venue for the tasting but if this is not possible we can suggest some venues for you to consider.

Enquire about a Whisky Tasting in London

If you would like more information about our whisky and chocolate tastings, or if you would like to check availability or to book, please don’t hesitate to call David on 07875 405 980. Alternatively please complete the form below and we will get back to you very quickly.

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