Blog — Page 20 of 277

Water of Life – Fable Whisky

The universal language that is storytelling, i.e. painting a picture with words, is an art that requires creativity, vision and skill.

Especially in the realm of whiskies, weaving compelling tales sets vibrant brands apart from mundane ones and aids in creating a connection and sense of loyalty – all the better when the narrative resonates, ignites the recipient’s imagination and pulls the audience in with engaging and surprising elements, resulting in a picture show being run in the mind of the listener with added imaginative details.

Enter Pendulum Spirits Directors Andrew Torrance and Calum Lawrie, who chose the telling name “Fable” as a moniker for their independent whisky bottling brand for a reason as at its core, it is centred around a memorable, mythical animation – titled “The Legend of the Ghost Piper of Clanyard Bay” based on artwork created by the Bolivian illustrator Hugo Cuellar.

The illustrious characters from the animation, i.e. The Crows, The Hound, The Piper and The Labyrinth are avatars and find themselves adorning the visually appealing labels of the eleven initial, limited Fable expressions, the common denominator of which is that all of them are from single casks with interesting age profiles at cask strength and sourced from carefully curated distilleries across Scotland.

Launched globally in June 2021, it took a while until Fable and its expressions carved their way onto terra australis and I could not wait to get a chance to engage with the raw, first volume of its liquid chapters, all of which have in common that they have been matured in ex-Bourbon casks. 

My first exposure to Fable was via their 10 Year Old Caol Ila expression and if you follow this series remotely, it should not be further wondrous that I was delighted given my fondness for everything Islay. 

Representing the Clanyard component of Fable’s overarching long form storytelling, upon approach I was tantalized  by the bacon-esque BBQ aromas, which are flanked by nuances of citrus and a peppery piquancy, which seamlessly transitions to the top of the mouth, enhanced by ashy and leathery goodness. The elongated, smoky finish had me smacking my lips, lusting for another sip. 

A cracker.

Benrinnes is a distillery that has provided quite a few delightful surprises over the years and Fable’s bottling was no exception: Having matured for twelve years, dominant orange and spicy cinnamon notes tickle the nostrils. Things take a turn into savoury and nutty territory on the palate, with the finish reverberating with malty oak and tropical highlights.

Never not excited about making new discoveries, Dailuaine is a Diageo owned distillery expressions of which I have never encountered in the wild, apart from being a component in blends. I was pulled in by a nose dominated by crisp, green apple aromas dancing on a solid barley backbone, with the flavour profile being enhanced by charred oak, vanilla nuances and a delicate sweetness that is anchored by earthy notes. Culminating in a crescendo of apples, vanilla and citrus, a delightful dram to have with a resinous, hoppy IPA.

Fable’s Linkwood chapter catapults us into floral territory, where honey-ed mango aromas prepare one for finely calibrated citrus and apple flavours, which are complemented by traces of nutty nougat. The medium finish peaks with citrussy grapefruits.

Mannochmore is a located in the region of Speyside, so the fact that the nose of Fable’s expression is on the fruity end of the spectrum, interweaved with honeyed vanilla notes and a solid oaky backbone, should not come as a surprise. Via a waxy and oily mouthfeel, orchard fruits delight the tastebuds with sweet vanilla and creamy malt notes, before the sheer endless finish reverberates with the best a mix poached pears, chives and cinnamon could offer.

Given the carefully curated selections, the limited nature of the releases and the attention to detail when it comes to the presentation, if encountered in the wild any whisky aficionado would be well advised to not go past a Fable ( https://fablewhisky.com ) expression from one’s favourite distillery region of distillery.

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image from company website

Peter Hook & the Light
Enmore Theatre
Sydney, Australia 
19 November 2022

There are few bands on this earthround that despite a short career span comprised of merely four years, have exerted the wide-reaching influence of Joy Division. Having presaged the genre that was to become gothic rock with Peter Hook’s trademark high-pitched bass lines and their idiosyncratic gloomy  expressionist sounds, the members regrouped after the untimely departure of Ian Curtis to form New Order, which integrated electronic dance music into the mix and thereby established a slow-burning career, resulting in not merely becoming one of the most acclaimed bands of the 1980s but influential legends in their own right.

With Peter Hook & the Light being an entity with the authenticity of one of the founding members, formed to keep the legacy of both Joy Division and New Order alive, it shall go without saying that the announcement of their rare incarnations on terra australis resulted in the Australian leg being sold out almost instantaneously.

Easing us into the proceedings, the first component of the evening was comprised of an eclectic melange of synth-poppy New Order hits, before both of Joy Division’s stellar albums, i.e. the energetic yet melancholic Unknown Pleasures and the panic-ridden and passionate classic Closer, were celebrated in all their timeless glory with a spirit-filled, on point and dedicated performance.

With the ode to nostalgia being divided into four well-calibrated and curated parts, Peter Hook & the Light sounded tighter and more powerful than ever with Hook’s vocals being particularly impressive.

While not wasting an outrageous amount of energy on crowd interaction, the note-perfect fitting tribute performance elicited a sense of reverberating euphoric elation in the audience, including raving going on in the seated section and omnipresent anthemic sing-a-longs galore culminating in an emotional rendition of "Love Will Tear Us Part."

A fantastic evening and befitting tribute to the sound that has revolutionised music and a performance that was testament to the fact that the songs have only grown in appeal and esteem.

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photos courtesy of @k.a.vv

Water of Life – Grain Bar, Sydney

What makes a bar great?

There are a myriad of details that result in making a bar much more than the mere sum of the individual contributing facets.

A consummate hosts making one welcome from the get go and greeting each guest individually goes a long way, as does table service with attentive staff not merely remembering your order but also acknowledging if there is a need for drinks to be topped up or if there is an indication that something is not up to scratch.

Décor, a rustic, solid bar counter, atmospheric mood lighting, carefully chosen food accompaniments and comfortable chairs do not hurt either, as does a curated playlist at an appropriate volume. 
Needless to say, apart from these major components, elegantly presented, innovative as well as classic cocktails and boundary pushing drink offerings is the realm where truly great bars shine

Enter Sydney’s Grain Bar, which not merely ticks all the aforementioned boxes but constitutes one of my favourite third places on terra australis.

What Sardinia-born bar supervisor and host extraordinaire Marco Rosati has accomplished with his team is an example par excellence for the epitome of well-calibrated, warm hospitality, enhanced by an underlying intrinsic motivation to create the best experience possible and a veritable passion for craft spirits, locally brewed craft beer, as well as creative barrel aging twists on classic cocktails.

Needless to say, with “Grain Bar” being a telling name, grains in all varieties and forms take centre stage on both the drinks and food menus, with the bar teams’ focus firmly set on sustainability and the reduction of the bar’s carbon footprint via employing the innovative ecoSPIRITS distribution system, geared at nearly eliminating packaging waste in the premium spirits supply chain. 

As if the aforementioned was not enough, I have yet not to discover a new piece de resistance and conversation starter when entering Grain Bar: This time around, Grain Bar offers what must be one of the most luxurious, customised whisky-tasting trolleys in the Southern hemisphere, dedicated to the best and rarest The Macallan has to offer.

Suits’ Harvey Specter would be delighted as not only his favourite expression, i.e. the 18 Year Old, makes a prominent appearance on the trolley flanked by Macallan’s core expressions, but also an 18 Sherry Oak unicorn variant that is exclusive to Grain Bar, in addition to rare collections like The Macallan 25 Sherry Oak, the Rare Cask and the much fabled about, elusive Harmony Collection, which is bound to evoke a Pavlovian reaction from whisky aficionados.

Needless to say, it is quite a gratifying, holistic experience and eye candy galore to see the Macallan trolley navigate its way to your table, which then offers not only the opportunity to sample some of the best Speyside has to offer, but also marks the start of a journey the knowledgeable and engaging staff takes you one.

I cannot wait until the ever-charming Marco Rosati’s newest creation will find its way onto Grain Bar’s cocktail menu at the beginning of 2023, which will see him taking the bar’s commitment to the reduction of food waste and circular economy to the next level by using the savoury and starchy liquid that is pasta water as the foundation to transform his exquisitely creamy cocktail creations to add an idiosyncratic twist.

The fact that this article was almost completed without feeling the need to emphasize that Grain Bar is one of the many five star venues Sydney’s Four Seasons Hotel has to offer in one of the most scenic environments of this earth round, a stone throw away from iconic sights like the Harbour Bridge and one of the most distinctive buildings of the Twentieth century, i.e. the Opera House, speaks volumes about the merits of this cleverly designed and immensely enjoyable establishment.

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image courtesy of Grain Bar

AFI are currently on the road for their Bodies Tour with support from Drab Majesty. The band released Bodies in 2021, but had not previously been able to tour for the album due to the ongoing pandemic. The band is as energetic as ever and have managed to weave songs across their entire career into the sets each night. Catch the band as they return to the US West Coast before traveling across the southern half of the country towards their final show in Florida. The band has also recently announced a one time show at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their major label debut, Sing the Sorrow.

The Formative Years – Suicide

There are few albums that capture the merging borders of the roots of alternative disco, punk, new wave and what was to become post-punk like Suicide’s debut effort.

Creating an idiosyncratic melange comprised in equal parts of distortion, cacophonous beats  and demented howling, Suicide sounded sincerely exciting and dangerous. 

The paranoid driven debut album Suicide (1977) and the follow-up Alan Vega Martin Rev (1980) are both slabs of vinyl full of attitude that epitomize the minimalist primal force and tense sonic equivalent of the animalist threatening chaos the duo unleashed in a live environment.

Each and every song seems to be informed by a sinister, menacing dark undercurrent, including the cheesy, poppy ditties. Suicide was a band that felt truly liberated, informed by a hostility that was fuelled by the fact that they had nothing to lose.

While Suicide never attempted to blend in with anything or anybody, they became immensely influential, left their vile imprint on what was to become electronic music and unintentionally not only created a template for synthesizer and vocalist duos but influenced everyone from Joy Division via Radiohead to Nebraska-era Bruce Springsteen.

Suicide’s live recordings document the confrontational antics of the duo to the extent that at times it proves to be difficult to decipher the music from the pandemonium it soundtracked.

Proto punk at its best.