Minutes generic - Norwegian Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Minutes from 24th NSMWS meeting.

The meeting was held at Per Christian Valland's abode.

He evening commended at 7 p.m. hours and ended 11.30 p.m.

It was agreed that the member holding the whisky meeting should from now on also be responsible for writening up the minutes. PCV shall try to get hold of an "artist" as a new member of the NSMWS. It was also suggested that we should try and get an astronaut as a member. PCV held a speech about The Solera system of maturing Sherry and Whisky.

To enhance the Web site it was agreed that we should scan all the labels of the whiskies we have tasted and post them on the Web. In this respect FAH stuck Post-it notes on all the relevant labels he could find in a Whisky book. FAH had some problems fastening these labels in the book and many were strewn around the room. FAH suggested this was due to lack of enough whisky. And consequently drank some fore to calm the nerves. AGSJ tasted the SMWS 13.27 Whisky (previous meeting's bottle) and had to hold a serviette to his mouth as the vintage was rather strong in alcohol.

Various types of food were served of a very high quality.

The evening ended with a discussion about which lubricant was best: oil based, or water based. FAH claimed wather and PCV claimed silicone (later confirmed by his wife to be - we wont specify how it was confirmed!!!)

Most of the members agreed that it was difficult to distinguish between the whiskies tasted.

Solera system
The definition of Solera system is do with blending and maturation of Sherry (fractional blending).
As a subnote, the name Sherry is as a result of the fact that the English could not pronounce "Vino de Jeres" (Heh-rehs). The idea itself originally came from the Rhine area of Germany. The system was then introduced to Spain by the Moors and specifically to the area - Jeres de la Frontera. In this area the Solera system was used for making Sherry. The system was made to ensure as much continuity in the quality as possible to get a consistent tasting Sherry.

The system works like a School - for each year it improves in quality. If one imagines six casks one top of the other. You empty one sixth Sherry from the lower cask and replace it with one sixth from the cask above.

The top cask is filled with the years matured Sherry which are classed in various categories. In this way, the new Sherry get the aroma and taste from the older Sherry and quality and consistency is secured. Various producers have different views on how much one should remove from each cask but there is a rule that you cannot take out more than one third of the bottom cask per year.

The Solera system has now been copied by Glenfiddich and hence the Glenfiddich Solera Reserve.

LOCHNAGAR
It says that queen Victoria enjoyed this storied well-rounded malt whisky.
She should have blended it with red vine and therefore ruined two of the finest drinks in the world.
The distillery lies by the foot of Lochnagar-mountains along the river Dee, not far from Aberdeen.
A man who probably started as an illegal whisky producer, established the first legal Lochnagar distillery in 1826, and today's establishment was build in 1845.
Tree years later the royal family bought Balmoral castle as their country house in Scotland. The owner of that time invited Prince Albert to visit. The prince and queen Victoria came the day after already.
The distillery started to deliver too the queen soon after and was known as the Royal Lochnagar.
In the course of the years the distillery has been rebuild tree times. The last time was in 1997.
Lochnagar is one of the smallest distilleries in the highlands.
The water runs down from the majestic peak Lochnagar, over peat and heather.
The twelve-year-old version matures in oak cask's that is used for the second time.
A combination of nature's finest ingredients and the distiller's art produces the distinctive, mellow taste of Royal Lochnagar.

GLENFIDDICH
SOLERA RESERVE

Is a 15-year-old single malt whisky brought together in the unique Solera System perfected at The Glenfiddich Distillery.
At the heart of the system is the impressive Solera vat handmade with wood from oak forest in Europe.
As whisky is drawn form the vat it is replenished with Glenfiddich witch has been lying in the darkness of the granite warehouses for 15 years and more. Some of this whisky will have matured in casks coopered from European oak, some in American oak and some in Spanish oak barrels, which have already been used to age sherry.
It is the care witch these different casks are selected by the malt master at the time of filling and again 15 years later when the whisky is judged to be ready for the Solera witch determines the mellowness and the depth of flavour that characterise the Glenfiddich Solera Reserve Single Malt Whisky.
Because the Solera vat is newer less than half full it harbours a reservoir of extremely well matured whisky witch mingles subtly with the 15 year old whiskies from the warehouse. It is a rite of passage, which imparts a special intensity to the Solera Reserve. The single malt is then fed into small Solera tuns where the final stage of marrying is completed.
Taste: it has a full and fragrant aroma, with delicate oak notes. It is very smooth, deliciously mouth-watering, with a great depth of flavour and a long satisfying finish.