Members meeting #35 held on Friday 25th January 2002
| Members present |
ms. Vivienne Knowles |
| Whisky of the night | |||||||||||
|  | ||||||||||
POINTS SCORED
| Dalwhinnie | Glendronach | Lagavulin | Signatory Vintage 1980 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V. Knowles | 81-85 | 91-95 | ||
| Angel's Share | 81-85 | 86-90 | ||
| 13.27 | 86-90 | 91-95 | ||
| The Laird | 81-85 | 91-95 | ||
| A. Kårstad | 81-85 | 81-85 | ||
| H. Solberg | 81-85 | 81-85 | ||
| Tary | 86-90 | 86-90 | ||
| Average | 84.4 | 88.7 |
MINUTES from meeting #35
The 35th meeting of the Norwegian Scotch Malt whisky Society was held at the abode of Ms Vivienne Knowles on 25 January 2002.
Ms Knowles opened the meeting by welcoming members, with a special welcome to Mr Hans Solberg, before presenting the whisky of the night.
Whisky of the night
SIGNATORY VINTAGE 1980 - Distilled at Glen Mhor Distillery, Speyside 4.3.80, bottled 30.1.2001; Butt No. 879, Bottle No. 726 of 842. Matured in a sherry butt for 20 years, natural colour. Alcohol content 43%.
Others:
The Glendronach, Single Highland Malt, matured in sherry cask, 15 years. Alcohol content 40%.
Lagavulin, Single Islay Malt, matured in old oak cask, 16 years. Alcohol content 43%.
Dalwhinnie, Single Highland Malt, double matured, finished in Oloroso Cask-wood, 1985. Alcohol content 43%.
Speech of the night - Independent Bottlers
Independent Bottlers play an important role in the Scotch Whisky Industry especially since consumers are now searching for rare, specialist whiskies to satisfy their thirst for knowledge about the fascinating world of Scotch Whisky. This is where these companies come into their own.
Independent Bottlers offer a wide range of Scotch whiskies and through acquiring a number of whisky casks, sometimes from distilleries that are currently 'mothballed' or have been completely dismantled they are preventing certain fine Scotch whiskies from disappearing altogether. The casks are matured by the Independent Bottler as they see fit, bottled and presented under their own particular label.
Some Independent Bottlers specialise in producing limited editions of rare, premium single malt whiskies from specially selected casks (from brokers or direct from the distillery). Such whiskies are attractive to the connoisseur as an opportunity to sample a rare vintage, or a whisky from a favourite distillery that has been matured in a different type of cask or bottled at a different age from the normal standard production.
The increase in demand for more specialist whiskies has seen various independent bottlers extend their range to offer 'Cask Strength Whiskies'. Proprietery whiskies are normally bottled at 40% vol, while 'cask strength' means that no water has been added to the whisky prior to bottling and may therefore be over 50% vol. Other attractive bottling features may include 'No chill filtering' or 'colouring' as is the case with the Glen Mhor 1980.
A few comments on the Glen Mhor Distillery, Inverness, Speyside: founded in 1892 with production starting in 1894 as a private company and closed in 1983. Since its closure, the distillery has been pulled down to make way for a supermarket. Glen Mhor means 'Great Glen' in Gaelic. No official Glen Mhor Distillery Bottlings are available but Independent Bottlers include Gordon & MacPhail, Cadenhead's, SMWS and Signatory.
The Signatory Vintage Scotch Whiskey Co. Ltd was founded in 1988. It is family owned and managed, being one of only three true independent companies who bottle their own products; a distinction being drawn here between the independent companies who bottle their own products, and the companies whose products are bottled under contract. The other fully independent bottlers are Gordon & MacPhail and Wm. Cadenhead.
The name of Signatory derived from the fact that the company's initial intention was to find someone famous to sign the labels for the bottles produced from one single cask. The first cask purchased was a cask of 1968 Glenlivet, which was sold long before a famous person was found.
Members enjoyed the two whiskies and points were awarded accordingly (listed above).
Before the buffet supper was served the hostess drew the members' attention to the fact that the 35th meeting was actually being held on Burns' Night, so a few additional words were, naturally, called for.
Robert Burns is Scotland's most well-known and best loved poet: even south of the Border, most people can quote the odd line of Burns' poetry: 'Wee sleekit, cowrin' tim'rous beastie…' and of course there's 'Auld lang Syne', which everybody thinks they know and nobody actually does.
He was born in Alloway, Ayrshire on 25 January 1759, and Burns' Night is celebrated on or around his birthday. Since a Burns' Night supper must always begin with Burns' own Selkirk Grace, the members were invited to say grace accordingly -
'Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it; But we hae meat and we can eat. And sae the Lord be thankit.'
A toast to the Bard!!