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Water of Life - Penderyn

Now, this is a first – while not being the most exotic source location-wise, I cannot claim having ever sampled whiskies from Wales, which is not further wondrous given that it was not until the dawn of the new millennium that whisky was resumed to be distilled.

Named after its location in the Brecon Beacons, i.e. the village of Penderyn, local fresh water was sourced to then be channelled through their specifically designed copper single-pot still and the majority of the emissions are being used to mature in ex-Bourbon casks to well-calibrated fruity and flavoursome outcome.

Penderyn Sherrywood Finish was the first dram I sampled, which adds to the maturation in ex-bourbon barrels a maturation component in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks.

As expected, what tickled the nostrils was full-bodied and on the sweeter end of things, infused by honey and sugar and accentuated by interesting herbal highlights, which seamlessly transitions to the palate where the dominant sherry notes are backed by Christmassy spices and a foundation of oak. The elongated, soft and rounded finish is a melange of sherry and oak with hints of cotton candy results in a dangerously moreish finale.

Now, let’s take things up a notch or two, shall we?

Penderyn Rich Oak is quite a telling name as after initially being aged in bourbon casks, it matures in re-charred European ex-wine casks, which results in aromas that are hitting the vanilla and honey end of the spectrum, with the backdrop being – as the name suggests – oak.

On the top of the roof, apple-cidery nuances meet, toffee and waxy vanilla, which transitions into a creamy and oily finish punctuated by candied fruit notes, toffee and floral flavours.

Given the impression the Sherrywood and Rich Oak expressions left, I was curious as to what their Peated variant would be like, especially since word around the campfire had that some of it was matured in used Laphroaig and Buffalo Trace casks.

What I liked about Penderyn’s Peated expression is that it is not trying to compete with the heavyweights but plays in its own subtle league – think of it as a peated summer dram that walks the chasms between hints of smoke derived from the casks and fresh fruit.

In essence, instead of mere pale imitation, we got a subtly complex, rustic and earthy expression that holds its own and is reminiscent of one of my favourite Islay expressions, i.e. Kilchoman Machir Bay, with more subdued aromas and a delicious marzipan backbone with hints of chili, which make it a borderline ideal pre-dinner whisky that combines some of the best attributes of the casks it is derived from mixed with a refreshing array of vanilla, green fruits and a clear savoury .

The Formative Years – Cum on, feel the noize

Noise, for the commoner and sane, evokes usually nauseous reactions rather than exhilaration. It is not further wondrous that the strange confronting and deliberately displeasing world of noise music is off-putting to most, however, once one transcends the barrage of sounds and concerns about the on setting tinnitus are alleviated, the effects can include not only tangible physical reactions triggered by sine wave rockets blasting through your nervous system but also a hypnotic and at times ecstatic trance that allows to detect swelling and at times deafening patterns and sensations far beyond of what can be achieved with conventional music.

What attracted me early on about noise music was its hyperbolic fuck-you to all conventions and the way that in the most minimalistic manner, an unrivalled powerful rawness can be achieved that beyond the impact of electronic music I experienced within the confines of techno and house. Needless to say that the protagonists I encountered within of noise were on the more interesting and intriguing spectrum of eccentricity, which only added to the appeal and depth of their emissions.

After an initial infatuation with the shock value and  alienating ugliness of the aesthetics of the genre and over-the-top outfits emerging from Japan, it took a bit of guidance to tumble down the rabbit hole of its genesis, e.g. cacophonic, improvised jazz experimentation and musique concrète composers like John Cage and Edgard Varese channelling their alchemy long before acts like Throbbing Gristle, Whitehouse and Merzbow or even more mainstream artist’s like Lou Reed dabbled in working on their “metal machine music”.

Understanding more about the processes that drive the approach to noise, unveiled that the textured ever dynamic and self-rearranging atonal nature and production is very different to how e.g. electronic music is composed: Listening to the same noise pieces never produced identical results and it effectively undid controlled listening.

I started to appreciate noise differently, as in a boundless, unregulated sonic canvas I was able to project and add my own inner workings onto, which amplified its effects even further as it made them more personal – both in lighter and darker terms with me as the recipient adding an idiosyncratic, subjective factor that made the experience more than the sum of ifs individual components: It helped me listen beyond the loud, harsh  abrasiveness and unveiled that it was much more than noise for noise’s sake, specifically when I started to get into even more formless and subtle white noise. It helped the sometimes direly needed obliteration of consciousness and liberation from thought.

The effects of appreciating and embracing noise ultimately enable me to appreciate a much broader spectrum of music and appreciate it differently and more than that, perceiving e.g. new cities I visit as perpetual dissonant symphonies, with the sounds of Tokyo, NYC, Bangkok and Delhi ranking high on my playlist.

Water of Life – Arnolfo di Cambio

No matter if it is fashion, interior, urban or architectural design – the Italian way of doing things has consistently been pushing boundaries in any conceivable way or form and firmly established itself on the worldwide firmament as a trendsetter.

When it not only comes to the application of traditional techniques to the production of objects made of crystal but maximising its natural characteristics, Arnolfo di Cambio is no exception.

Founded in 1963 in Colle Val d’Elsa, the company has been thriving on innovation and unique designs for nearly six decades and a focus on not only negotiating between the past and present by combining the art of glassblowing, manufacture and new technologies, but extensive involvement and collaborations with genre defining luminaries from the world of design who infuse their alchemy into the DNA of di Cambio’s DNA.

Needless to say that di Cambio’s emissions are not only considered pieces of art but have found their way to become fixtures of permanent art exhibitions and infiltrated mainstream media, such as the Ridley Scott’s movie Blade Runner with an idiosyncratic set of custom-made tumblers.

Now, when it comes to the enjoyment whisky, personal preference as to the choosing of the right vessel varies as it can be seen as both an extension of one’s personality as well as one’s taste in the water of life. My trusted go-to is usually the Glencairn glass, as it proves to be particularly well designed to channel the aromas and flavour nuances to both the nostrils and the palate and anyone remotely into enjoying a good drop would be able to attest that the right glass can significantly enhance the sipping experience.

However, special occasions demand special drinkware, which is where Arnolfo di Cambio enters the stage with its Cibi collection.

Structure-wise, the retro futuristic, hand-crafted Blade Runner rocks glasses are optimised for breathability to enhance the aeration of molecules, with ideally a finely calibrated distance to your nose.

What I love about the Blade Runner tumbler is that its balanced weight adds a premium touch when nursing a drink, which it has a deliberate understated aesthetic that offers something for the eye – an aesthetic that pays homage to both the original movie from the early eighties as well as the recent sequel to the science fiction saga, marrying past, present and future in iconic crystalline form.

David Lee Roth once quipped that he used to jog but he quit as the ice cubes kept falling out of his glass - fitting 370ml, the heft of the Cibi tumbler would have helped Diamond Dave to continue his workout regimen as it  not only accommodates rocks galore but serves as the ideal glass for a well-made Old Fashioned.

A statement piece that instantaneously adds character and style to its surroundings.

Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide To Happiness

Hachette Publishing

Bill Bailey is an interesting one. I remember watching him incarnate in the third dimension and after the first fifteen minutes, I was going to give ten more to see where his performance was going to go and I ended up having one of the best evenings with a comedian that I have ever had. This means to say that Bill is not your run-off-the-mill comic, but an artist that has accomplished everything from music to acting and one that has a refined and well-calibrated approach to comedy that slowly unfolds its hilarious potential.

Following his, Remarkable Guide To British Birds, Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide To Happiness is not a comedian’s piss take on a collective effort towards self-optimisation and happiness – au contraire – the book is thoughtfully comprised of essays aimed at cutting through the noise of our modern age.

Reminded of mortality by entering the fifth decade of his earthly existence, Baily was inspired to explore the chasm between what our life has transpired to be and our expectations of it, i.e. the pressures and competition of the quantifiable and more and more confusing realities of modern life.

Not being averse to change and innovation, Bailey explore the state of mind that constitutes happiness, which in his mind seems to occur when you least expect it.

Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide To Happiness is both a whimsical, warm and thoughtful compilation of exposes that contain a lot of personal facets to convey the pleasure simple things like e.g. being in the outdoors can bring.

Accompanied by Bailey’s illustrations, the book is a pick-me-up in times when contentment seems hard to come by.

High Adventures in the Great Outdoors - Nudie

Laid back with his mind on the money and his money on his mind, Snoop Dogg used to roll down the street, smokin’ indo, sippin’ gin and juice – without the latter of which, the whole thang would be a trite and juniper berry heavy affair.

There was a time that given the current circumstances seems utopian, i.e. one where I was travelling a lot, especially in interesting terrain where at times it proved to be difficult to get something resembling the beverages or meals one had in mind or the nutritious equivalent thereof.

At many an ungodly early hour at e.g. the airport of Ulaanbaatar or in the middle of nowhere en route to Phnom Penh, there are few options apart from chocolate bars and soda pop. However, there were locally freshly pressed juices, which seemed like a wholesome way to get come vitamins in the system in the process.

With fruit juice that one finds in most supermarkets – even if they contain vegetables – due to fibre having been large chaffed off, unwholesome free sugars that are absorbed almost instantaneously into the bloodstream contribute to world of nastiness – think 2 diabetes and whatever else a spiking of insulin levels encompasses.

Summa summarum – commercially available juices can have some healthy qualities, however, oftentimes you are basically ingesting sugary water with some vitamins.

Enter an entity I was delighted to discover during my first travels to the Southern hemisphere, i.e. Nudie.

Inspired by the lack of juices that met the standards the founders set as a benchmark for juices to proffer to their families at home, they decided to refine their home-made 100% fruit recipes and offer it publicly at local stores with the first batch resulting in less than fifty bottles, which the founders’ families were sent to buy back to create the illusion that it was massively popular.

Many trials, tribulations and upgrades later, Nudie’s simple yet effective formula resulted in something that I struggle to find elsewhere, i.e. easily available, vegan-friendly flash-pasteurized juices and blends that leave up to the name, i.e. purity with no masking or dress up: No cryogenically frozen concentrate, additives or other preservatives.

Apart from tested and tried staples, there are constantly new adventurous concoctions, e.g. Aloe Vera & Rosehip or Chamomile Tea & Lemon Balm, which if not for the ingredients and flavours, win me over for the witty and cheeky blurbs that adorn the respective bottles.

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image from company website