Copenhagen, these days, is not as much a haven for hasch-seeking customers (they actually have shut down that street in Christiania you know), as it is a fantastic city for fine dining.
So, heading over to the danish capital for a day of record-store visiting (they also still have quite a few of those!), beer-drinking and eating, a visit to Michelin-Guide-starred italian restaurant Era Ora in Christianshavn was booked.
Having been here once before, in the company of half The Cardigans, I knew to expect a set menu of 14 dishes and some great wines.
But, boy had I forgotten the greatness of this place.
The courses came in threes, each with a new glass of wine. And every single course matched perfectly with the wine - each in it's own, personal way.
It was - literally - bringing tears to my eyes.
Seldom have I tasted such great food/wine-combos.
Believe the magic. If you ever, as in EVER, visit Copenhagen and are slightly interested in wine and food, make sure to visit Era Ora.
There. You have been warned!
onsdag 28 juli 2010
Balblair - attention to detail.
Balblair has, as might have noticed, should you have visited a whisky-selling shop the past year or so, had a total make-over on their design and product-range.
With the focus being moved to vintages, they now release various years production - and after a visit to Copenhagen, I picked up a 12yo expression bottled in 2009.
Yes friends, that makes the vintage 1997.
Not having had that much experience of the Balblair previously, apart from the occasional independent bottling, and mostly older ages, I wasn't quite sure what to expect.
The new packaging looks good, and I quite like the square box, I must admit. The accompanying letter with the "ye olde attention to tradition and detail" bull went straight to the waste-bin, but after pooring myself an initial dram, I stand corrected.
This is one great malt.
10-12yo is the age most (read: almost all) distilleries bottle their standard single malt at, and it is with that in mind I compare the whisky.
The nose is intriguing: a whiff of peat followed by exotic fruits. A nuttiness with malty overtones followed by sweeter vanillas and a hint of toffee. Very very pleasing.
On the palate, the fruitiness takes over, reminding almost of a young Glenugie. The exotic fruits are there, as well as the bourbon-wood influences and the peat rears it's smoky head slightly.
A nice, warming aftertaste that stays on longer than your average malt makes this well worth looking at as your everyday whisky.
It's not too expensive, and kicks serious butt with most other 12yo malts. What's not to like? me thinks.
With the focus being moved to vintages, they now release various years production - and after a visit to Copenhagen, I picked up a 12yo expression bottled in 2009.
Yes friends, that makes the vintage 1997.
Not having had that much experience of the Balblair previously, apart from the occasional independent bottling, and mostly older ages, I wasn't quite sure what to expect.
The new packaging looks good, and I quite like the square box, I must admit. The accompanying letter with the "ye olde attention to tradition and detail" bull went straight to the waste-bin, but after pooring myself an initial dram, I stand corrected.
This is one great malt.
10-12yo is the age most (read: almost all) distilleries bottle their standard single malt at, and it is with that in mind I compare the whisky.
The nose is intriguing: a whiff of peat followed by exotic fruits. A nuttiness with malty overtones followed by sweeter vanillas and a hint of toffee. Very very pleasing.
On the palate, the fruitiness takes over, reminding almost of a young Glenugie. The exotic fruits are there, as well as the bourbon-wood influences and the peat rears it's smoky head slightly.
A nice, warming aftertaste that stays on longer than your average malt makes this well worth looking at as your everyday whisky.
It's not too expensive, and kicks serious butt with most other 12yo malts. What's not to like? me thinks.
söndag 25 juli 2010
Beer... Good.
As this a blog on malts, and I've been known to enjoy the occasional beer, I might as well mention them when they cross my path.
One lesser known (at least here in Sweden) is from Bath-based brewery Bath Ales - the clue is in the title etc etc - and is called the Wild Hare.
With a strength of 5% abv, and completely organic, it is a perfectly balanced ale with both the lighter notes that some refer to as citrus, and heavier malty notes to make the picture complete.
Though lighter on the palate, it's still well worth discovering if you're a fan of the Fullers ESB and such ales.
And where would you find such an ale in Sweden? If you by any chance are in the far south of Sweden, there is a small village called Bästekille. This translate roughly as Best Guy. Just outside this small village, and trust me when I say it's small, is a pizzeria on a field. Friden is it's name, and apart from the weird fact that you can order a pizza in a vegetable field, they also stock a wide range of micro-brewery beer.
Weird, but nice. Very nice indeed.
One lesser known (at least here in Sweden) is from Bath-based brewery Bath Ales - the clue is in the title etc etc - and is called the Wild Hare.
With a strength of 5% abv, and completely organic, it is a perfectly balanced ale with both the lighter notes that some refer to as citrus, and heavier malty notes to make the picture complete.
Though lighter on the palate, it's still well worth discovering if you're a fan of the Fullers ESB and such ales.
And where would you find such an ale in Sweden? If you by any chance are in the far south of Sweden, there is a small village called Bästekille. This translate roughly as Best Guy. Just outside this small village, and trust me when I say it's small, is a pizzeria on a field. Friden is it's name, and apart from the weird fact that you can order a pizza in a vegetable field, they also stock a wide range of micro-brewery beer.
Weird, but nice. Very nice indeed.
Glenfiddich Solera
It seems to be the fate of the big brands; once you reach a certain level of production, you loose the love of the noobs. And in no case is it as obvious as with Glenfiddich.
Granted, there standard malt is anonymous to the level of criminality, but go one step beyond and there are some beautiful malts to be discovered.
Apart from the older bottlings, one bottle not to be missed is the Solera bottling; aged at 15 years it is still a light whisky, but with a more intense honey note than usual.
Given the Solera cask-system (a principal of refilling and using casks) there is a heavier note of wood with more fruit, vanillas and a subtle nuttiness in the background.
If you are on holiday, as one is when one writes pieces like this, a dram of Solera-fiddich sits nicely on a sunday evening.
Granted, there standard malt is anonymous to the level of criminality, but go one step beyond and there are some beautiful malts to be discovered.
Apart from the older bottlings, one bottle not to be missed is the Solera bottling; aged at 15 years it is still a light whisky, but with a more intense honey note than usual.
Given the Solera cask-system (a principal of refilling and using casks) there is a heavier note of wood with more fruit, vanillas and a subtle nuttiness in the background.
If you are on holiday, as one is when one writes pieces like this, a dram of Solera-fiddich sits nicely on a sunday evening.
lördag 24 juli 2010
Armorik
Without any further research, a bottle of this Bretagne-malt was purchased at the local systembolag (that's the local monopoly for booze here in Sweden). Being interested in the malt, one wasn't helped much by the information on the labels, unless one is fluent in french, which I am not.
So, as far as I'm concerned all I know is that it is from "Breton", it is a single malt and it's bottled at 40%.
So, can the french, like the japanese, give the ol' scots a match on whisky making?
the answer, having tasted the Armorik, is "well, sort of".
The first impression on the nose is wood, but in a young way, and without any bourbon influences - no vanillas or toffees here. I'm guessing this whisky is four or five years old, and the casks are fresh oak. Behind the wood tones, a whiff of maltiness and almonds appears. Given a 15 minutes or so in the glass allows a rather unexpected peatiness to evolve. Not unpleasant, just unexpected.
On the palate the whisky has a smooth feeling, with more of the almondy nuttiness, a rather straightforward maltiness that gives way to a slightly watery feeling in the end.
It would be interesting to try this malt at 46% or cask strength. I think there is more to be won from this one.
If they keep on going like this, we might have to add whisky next to the snails, wine and cheese among french culinary experiences.
Well done on a promising start, that needs a bit more refinery before I'm totally knocked out.
So, as far as I'm concerned all I know is that it is from "Breton", it is a single malt and it's bottled at 40%.
So, can the french, like the japanese, give the ol' scots a match on whisky making?
the answer, having tasted the Armorik, is "well, sort of".
The first impression on the nose is wood, but in a young way, and without any bourbon influences - no vanillas or toffees here. I'm guessing this whisky is four or five years old, and the casks are fresh oak. Behind the wood tones, a whiff of maltiness and almonds appears. Given a 15 minutes or so in the glass allows a rather unexpected peatiness to evolve. Not unpleasant, just unexpected.
On the palate the whisky has a smooth feeling, with more of the almondy nuttiness, a rather straightforward maltiness that gives way to a slightly watery feeling in the end.
It would be interesting to try this malt at 46% or cask strength. I think there is more to be won from this one.
If they keep on going like this, we might have to add whisky next to the snails, wine and cheese among french culinary experiences.
Well done on a promising start, that needs a bit more refinery before I'm totally knocked out.
It's been a long time...
but I'm back, and hopefully will be back a bit more frequently. Though terrible at keeping any sort of consequence, I will be updating with some more thoughts on all things malt here shortly.
Watch this space for a bit about malt whisky from, ehrm, France. Wine? Ok. Cheese? Sure. Snails? Obviously. Malt Whisky? I think not. Or..?
Watch this space for a bit about malt whisky from, ehrm, France. Wine? Ok. Cheese? Sure. Snails? Obviously. Malt Whisky? I think not. Or..?
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