Blog — Page 176 of 281

Aight, we are about to enter realm of Wild Turkey.

Now, what we got here is the lovechild of poteen aficionado, Oscar Award decorated and public face of Wild Turkey Matthew Mc Conaughey teaming up with the grand olde dame of distilling Eddie Russell, who channelled his alchemy to create this eight-year viciously golden expression that matured in newly charred oak for eight years before it was put through a refinement process and percolated through a process involving the duality of mesquite and tested and tried oak brunets. The result is an 86-proof flavourful melange that runs the gamut from peppery spices to vanilla via caramel to dark sweet fruits and nuances of citrus, before it leaves with a hint of a slightly smoky, oaky yet soft finish.

This small batch Bourbon was much anticipated as the big leadup after McConaughey’s appointment and his mug gracing advertisements, it was to be seen if there was more to the celebrity endorsement than what the wider spirits industry brought forward partnering up with big names to tout their often mediocre emissions.

Longbranch is more on the authentic end of the spectrum, with McConaughey having been actively involved in the process along from the inception to the bottling and what materialised with the tasting kit in front of me seems not contrary and well aligned to his persona, which lends credibility to a joint effort that went on for two full years.

The refined conglomerate derived from the constituents of corn, rye and malted barley unfolds a smooth warmth and incorporates a discernible South Western character to what I am used to when it comes to expressions from Kentucky.

Longbranch did certainly not set out to compete with Wild Turkey’s complex high rye flagship releases or to rock the socks off 101 die-hards and if you manage your expectations in that regard, it proves to be an easily sip-able and solid introduction to the world of Bourbon, which makes the involvement of a renowned actor a smart move to appeal to the broader masses.

A non-gimmicky, lower-proof, well-balanced, approachable Wild Turkey expression that with its affordable price point will certainly become a favourite for those on the quest for gateways to the kingdom of Bourbons.

Read more Water of Life entries here.

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Photos by T

Mark Rothko: From the Inside Out

Yale University Press

Mark Rothko.

Chances are that if you have a remote interest in art related matters and visited modern galleries within the last two decades, you would have had the mesmerizing experience that only unfolds its full grandeur in the third dimension, i.e. a Rothko painting.

Mark Rothko: From the Inside Out is Christopher Rothko, i.e. his son’s approach to his oeuvre, which is not further wondrous given that he gave up his academic pursuits to curate his father’s legacy.

The book is a collection of critical essays circled around Rothko’s paintings and its undoubtedly immense impact on the recipients.

What is interesting is that Christopher Rothko manages to debunk many of the myths that surround his old man, who committed suicide in 1970, and illustrated that at the core Rothko’s approach to painting was one of hope and at times aesthetically fragile instead of overly trying to be aggressive.

The personal approach of Christopher Rothko when he details his old man’s techniques and sheds light on inspirations and passions in a straight forward matter-of-factly manner substantiated by in-depth stories that other books on Rothko are devoid of.

I found the chapters detailing Rothko’s infatuation with music and abstract expressionism particularly enlightening as well as the fact that Rothko wrote extensively throughout the 1930s and 40s.

The book is a fluid, intriguing reference piece and effortlessly points out where interpretations of the art world get it wrong.

Cheers Fest

Sydney, Australia

November 3, 2018

Cheers Fest is a new beer-centric festival, focusing on the finer craft and independently owned Australian breweries as well as artisanal liquid emissions from New Zealand.

The triumvirate of offering the opportunity to sample exquisite beers, enjoy a wide variety of great sustenance and being set against the iconic location that is The Cutaway at Sydney’s Barangaroo district make this festival one of the more enjoyable ones amongst a myriad of competitors. The fact that Cheers Fest is a concerted effort to celebrate the distinction from mainstream beer offerings is a bonus.

The Saturday afternoon session we visited was pervaded by a convivial and family friendly air without lacking the electric atmosphere with the next discovery just around the corner.

There was ample opportunity to to chat to the brewers and learn how they channel their alchemy.

We’ve had a chance to meet some of the protagonists behind the breweries we have covered previously, i.e. Two Birds Brewing, Young Henry's, Kaiju! and it was fantastic to see that meeting them in the third dimension is a natural extension of what their golden emissions promised with the passion for their products being their main driver.

New breweries we discovered were e.g. Akasha Brewing with their excellent Hopsmith IPA. The fact that they have recently collaborated with Ardbeg and Bruichladdich in the past, made us decide to work on a dedicated feature on their operations.

Another newcomer was Sauce Brewing Co. Their Bubble and Squeak NEIPA was a winner and plans were made on the spot to embark to visit their brewery in the foreseeable future.

The Food Alley proved to be a smorgasbord of eclectic offerings world apart from the uninspired  fair that is usually proffered at beer fests and a Food Pairing Guide with recommendations was part of the festival brochure, e.g. the on point recommendation to pair Mr Bao’s Confit Duck Bao with Frenchies Bistro & Brewery’s excellent Northern French style Astrolabe, whose caramelised mal flavours and light body complimented the culinary French / Chinese hybrid.

The first incarnation of Cheers Fest was framed by non-stop music performances, which serenaded the proceedings in a non-intrusive, well-calibrated manner, and rounded out a festival that should be on the calendar of anyone who is remotely interested in craft beers.

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Photos by T

What's Sumatra with You?

Coffee Style

Prestel Publishing

As Madonna put it ever so eloquently: Espresso yourself. Tadum-tsh! Better latte than never.

Ahhh, coffee and procaffeinating, I never grow bored from how the world changes after you ingest it – the one liquid that only leads to exhaustion if you decide to not ingest it.

If you have perused some of my emissions on here it should not be hard to detect that not unlike T.S. Eliot, I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.

Then again, I kind of like Ralph Waldo Emerson’s take on it, who thought that it was a weak dilution with the surest poison being time. No matter if you think coffee is a vitamin or a drug, coffee makes the world go round.

For some, the fascination with the black gold goes a bit further and way deeper than the recent renaissance that came with the advent of hipster culture. There is an art to coffee and photographer Horst A. Friedrichs turned his lens to highlight the finer nuances in this coffee table book par excellence, e.g. baristas at work and a myriad of techniques of extracting the black liquid via espresso machines to consumers indulging in the enjoyment of it.

Event fringe phenomena like coffee related couture is paid attention to and the accompanying essays substantiate the eye candy with details on the transformative alchemy.

A delightful, opulently illustrated addition to your coffee table, be it for the uninitiated or the hardcore aficionado.

Read previous insallments of What’s Sumatra with You?.

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Photos by T

There is certainly no shortage of distilleries in this day and age.

They come in all sizes and specializations.

Every now and then you stumble across one whose liquid emissions have not yet been absorbed and praised by the mainstream, which is always a rewarding and gratifying experience.

Then you come across distilleries that have a distinct approach that makes them unique without deliberately pursuing to be perceived as a novelty.

Belgrove Distillery combines the best of both of these aspects.

Peter Bignell is the brain and driver behind Belgrove Distillery’s copper still.

His dedication to both his craft and recycling makes other distilleries pale in comparison when it comes to sustainability and small carbon footprint.

In essence, Belgrove Distillery is based on the foundation and spoils that is Peter Bignell’s farm.

An overproduction of a rye corn harvest resulted in him looking for ways to use it in other manners, i.e. the production of rye whisky.

Gesagt, getan – he built is own still from scratch, which he powers along with water heating by utilizing leftover cooking oil, which is also used to fuel his farm vehicles with biodiesel.

Now, all of the above make Belgrove Distillery an endeavor worth supporting, but there is more to it.

What takes Belgrove Distillery to the next level is not merely its closed loop operation but the fact that its rye whisky emissions are something else.

Belgrove’s golden sunshine coloured Oat Whisky smells like a sweet summery day in the tropics has been caught in a bottle, which is backed by a creamy, nutty palate and finishes with a hint of peppery smoke. A journey of delight, start to finish.

A favourite of the Belgrove range is the Peated Rye Whisky, which packs a bit of a punch with its sixty percent ABV.

The fact that the alcohol aspect is not overpowering and is instead dominated by a mélange of smoky meat honey and vanilla notes is testament to the alchemy Bignell channels when it comes to expertly calibrating the nuances of his whiskies. It is further substantiated with an earthy taste reminiscent of a rainy summer’s day.

Sounds exaggerated and overly metaphorical?

I dare you to taste it and then try to capture the experience in mundane words.

The Belgrove Rye Whisky opens with a profile that proves hard to put one’s finger on: There is bread, chamomile and scents of pickles, the palate is fruity and simultaneously floral, getting a tad more intense with a grainy finish.

A smooth operator that convinces with its creamy texture.

The Belgrove Rye Whisky expression that has been matured in Shiraz Casks takes things to the next level: Dark chocolate, Christmas spices, honey, vanilla, sweet- and spiciness.

Wow.

Describing it as “more-ish” would be an understatement par excellence.

One that makes you lust for another dram.

An interesting variant is the Belgrove Apple Hatched, which is its barrel aged distilled apple cider.

The emphasis is obviously on apple flavours, which it does in spades running the gamut from overripe to baked apples, backed by pepper and herbal notes and a finish reminiscent of a creamier version of a good French Calvados.

Needless to say that it did not take long for the world of whisky aficionados to take note of Belgrove Distillery, which resulted in his operation being inundated with praise and accolades and many making the pilgrimage to Kempton or to alternatively order its limited releases online, which due to its exposure are now notoriously rather hard to come by.

Let alone bands like Queens of the Stone Age holding court in Tasmania only to go out of their way to buy the remainder of Peter Bignell’s stock to sustain them on tour, which almost resulted in your humble narrator not having access to some of Belgrove’s expressions.

Peter Bignell is a renaissance man thriving on overcoming obstacles and the effort he puts into each step of Belgrove’s DIY rye whisky production pay dividends in the taste department and is well worth you making the effort to do yourself the favour to look out for its rare bottlings.

Read more Water of Life entries here.

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Photo by T