Sense and Svensk Ability

This Friday's edition of Whiskey Break!™ was brought to this fair clan by an intrepid though mysterious fellow who shall remain unnamed yet much appreciated.

OPERATION: BIG MACK ATTACK
     DATE: 2009:09:23T00:00:00.000UTC-01:00:00H
 DURATION: 48:00:00H
    ASSET: XXXXXXXXX
DEPARTURE: STOCKHOLM
  ARRIVAL: AMSTERDAM
    CARGO: CLASSIFIED, "EYES ONLY"
   TARGET: XXXXXXXXX
   OP-OUT: T

Mackmyra is Sweden's first and fine entry into the single malt brewing regime. A golden nectar that oil-slips 'cross tongue; the liquid, languid and wan, verily wafts through thorax. A trail of chest warmth lingers as if to reassure.

So, yeah. Pretty good stuff. We here at Whiskey Break!™ were in firm agreement. Perhaps lacking the depth of flavour of a healthy Scotch, the finish of this single malt is superb.

And then one day, the depth will come. After all, the Swedes only started distilling whiskey in 1999. One wonders what wonders are too follow. Naturally, the Whiskey Break!™ had to make the trek back to Sweden, and take up arms to those Swedes! Damn you! How do you get this good, this fast?!


Sadly, Whiskey Break!™ bade a fond farewell to long time denizen, Joe. (Indeed, I was tossing around the idea of calling this post, Masters and Commanders, but, oh well, Austen won out, da bitch. Always heard she was a bit of a scratcher.) It was revealed to fellow breakers that Joe may have actually been the source and inspiration for the introduction of Whiskey Break!™ to API, if not the Netherlands more generally. So, cheers to Joe and family, to them naught but joy and happiness.

Chamonix sampler shindig

This week's Whiskey Break!™ sees our motley assortment boozing it up on the bucolic slopes of Mont Blanc, in appreciation of a now erstwhile collegue, Rafael, who is reportedly from the region (nice!). Upon his departure from API, Rafael tossed our way a bottle of the fine 10 year Laphroaig -- a raspy little number that immediately prompted a musical breakout -- percussive Scotch bottle boxes.

Atop o' this bounty, Joe produced a selection of sampler, which included the Glenlivet, the excellent Aberfeldy 12, and a slippery-smooth Tomintoul 16.

So, thanks to Rafael for the 'phroaig and all here at API wish him well. Cheers from the slopes of Chamonix!

Dimple and Pinch

No, the titular phrase is not a reference to some hitherto unknown, yet charming Saturday morning cartoon buddy show. And rest assured; though loaded with silky charm, there is nothing remotely cartoon-ish about this week's whiskey selection.

Whiskey Break!™ brought forth the fine blended 15 yr Dimple, an award-winning mix first produced in 1888 by John Aloysius Haig. Oddly, Dimple is otherwise known as Pinch in the US.

Our destination this week is the seat of that same said Haig company and, more importantly, the site of Dimple production, Edinburgh. Finally, after weeks of wandering the forests of Canada and Guatemala, Whiskey Break! has landed in the very seat of bonny Scotland.

Though somewhat hesitant in introducing a "blend" to the week's event -- concerned about violating some standing, single malt tradition -- it was quickly pointed out that the single most important "tradition" at Whiskey Break!™ is whiskey. Period. Furthermore, recent incursions by foreign liquor -- namely rum -- suggest that this putative tradition is anything but.

The selection of Dimple/Pinch was made for the fact that me ol' Dad imbibed the Pinch whiskey blend long before the single malt craze began sweeping the mass market. So, in celebration of Dad's past birthday, August 6, the Whiskey Break crowd raised a glass in toast, not only to Dad, but to long time Whiskey Break!™ brahman Michael and his twin brother, Bill.



Cheers, Dad. Hope all is well.

Banffshire Booze Hounds

Well, folks, Whiskey Break this week hit off with a splendid 12 year Cragganmore single malt, from the windswept dunes of Banffshire.

Rather enjoying the Canadian Rockies than barren Scottish coastlines, Whiskey Break nestled around the Banff Springs Hotel. We look like a band of giant tree gnomes, about to pounce on the Springs and relieve the elegant place of any remaining Scotch.

Cheers and Happy Malts!

B'more and B'more

Well folks, things hit off well this week with a replay of the Auchentoshan and a lovely Islay Bowmore. We had an international request to hold Whiskey Break in Baltimore, and here it is.

So, by popular demand, Whiskey Break in Baltimore's inner harbour.

Auchentoshan Bungle in the Jungle

Here is Whiskey Break, enjoying the sunny environs of Guatemala, which is where we should have been last time, logistics then proving beyond our ken at the time. Which is not surprising. Whiskey Break often renders many things beyond our ken by the time the bottle is offed.

Woo hoo! A double whammy today, folks. John managed to pull a Glenmorangie,"by the sixteen men of Tain," out of Madrid, while the Whiskey Break group coaxed Martin's secret, though not well hidden, gift bottle of Auchentoshan.

This proved exciting for most, as no one had ever had a punch from the single cask, 60% (!), 11 year (1999) old malt. Shockingly aromatic, to say the least, as the fumes hit well afore fluid touched tongue.

Another Rum "Whiskey Break"

Lacking a decent whiskey in recent weeks, Eduardo was kind enough to bring a fine Guatemalan rum, the Ron Zacapa Solera Reserve, a silky 15 year-old sweetheart of a rum near which no mixer should be allowed. Nectar.

As you can see, it was a hit with the whiskey break crowd. But then, anything with alcohol is a hit at whiskey break.

Under Water in the Nieuw Digs

Yes, API and the Whiskey Break crew have crossed the Kruislaan into new and spacey digs.  Minor bouts of mayhem have ensued, and by this Friday it was time for Whiskey Break!  A fine Bowmore 12 was on the table, contributed by the wise, enabler that he is.  

Unfortunately, some people look like they have fungus crawling across various parts of their persons.  Sorry about that.

Avast, Hearty Fools!

Whiskey break turned starkly banal, for which some goof poured amber rum into a scotch bottle and we all sat around looking at it, thinking, hmmm, this was rather unimpressive Scotch. 

Indeed. No one would say anything because the phony "scotch" was in the bottle of a very fine Scotch and no one wanted to express their dismay at what was surely an inconsequential selection. Anyway, we drank it all without complaint until the joke was revealed.

Yes, we are Scotch gourmands.

Talisker in Istanbul

Today's Whiskey Break celebrated the Talisker 10 year malt.  Golden and delicious! The chap on the right edge of the screen is Scottish, and clearly thrilled with this week's robust selection.  In fact, he's actually been to the Talisker distillery on the Isle of Skye.

As Robert Louis Stevenson once opined, ""The king o' drinks, as I conceive it, Talisker, Islay or Glenlivet".