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Definitive Scotch, and definitive wine reference book

Edited by Darryl Beeson

After more than one hundred years as the preeminent Scotch whisky, The Famous Grouse enters the next chapter, by introducing a new range of blended malts. “The introduction of The Famous Grouse Malt Whisky range is an exciting step,” says spokesperson Daniel Goodwin, The Famous Grouse brand manager, Remy Cointreau USA, Inc. “The signature smoothness and rich flavor of The Famous Grouse has been enjoyed by whisky enthusiasts for more than a century. It is only now that we’ve blended the legendary single malt ingredients together, exclusive of grain whisky, to produce a range of malts that truly embodies the essence of The Famous Grouse.”

For more than one hundred years, Scotch drinkers have had an affair with The Famous Grouse. In the late 1890s, the blended whisky, named after Scotland’s national game bird, produced by the Gloag family in Perth, was re-christened “The Famous Grouse” because the originally named “Grouse Brand” had gained a renowned following. Originally developed by Mathew Gloag to appeal to the growing numbers of sporting gentlemen who frequented the Scottish Highlands for the prime hunting, fishing and shooting available there, The Famous Grouse has grown to a global brand with more than 2.75 million cases sold each year, and for the past twenty-five years has held the position as the number-one selling Scotch in Scotland.

With the 2005 introduction of The Famous Grouse Malt Whisky Range, The Famous Grouse continues in the centuries-old tradition of Matthew Gloag & Son by producing exceptional blended Scotch whiskies that achieve the family’s original style and smoothness. The Famous Grouse whiskies are created from a recipe that has been a protected secret since it was first blended in the 1800s by members of the Gloag family. All that can be revealed is that The Famous Grouse is created from a blend of some of Scotland’s most famous and award-winning single malts, including The Macallan® and Highland Park®. In the case of the The Famous Grouse Malt Whisky Range, these acclaimed single malts are blended without the addition of grain whisky to attain a marvelous depth and character.

The Famous Grouse Master Blender John Ramsay crafts The Famous Grouse Malt Whiskies from casks that are aged for at least 12 and 18 years.

The Famous Grouse 12 Years Old Malt Whisky, 40% Alc./Vol.:

Bouquet: Soft, mellow, oaky citrus aromas

Palate: Soft, silky flavor, mellow oak and soft fruits

Retail Price: $34.99/750ml

The Famous Grouse 18 Years Old Malt Whisky, 43% Alc./Vol.:

Bouquet: Rich, deep, soft oak and jasmine

Palate: Rich, full flavor, spices and dried fruits

Retail Price: $54.99/750ml

Definative Wine Primer

The Wine and Spirits Education Trust and Master of Wine Examination’s preferred wine-science primer "Understanding Wine Technology: The Science of Wine Explained," by Europe’s hardest-working chartered chemist and MW, David Bird, is revised and updated in a second edition, released August, 2005, deciphering all the new scientific advances that have cropped up, and gives wine-science illiterates the freedom to breath easier. This is a serious text for serious wine consumers, though.

Some of the new and expanded material includes:

• legislation and regulations

• quality assurance and hazard analysis

• oak use (and why barrel fermentation may be worth the cost)

• biodynamic viticulture

• the role of oxygen

• fermentation

• cork and its alternatives

• the winemaking process

• wine’s principle components

• clarification, stabilization & additives

• wine faults

In other words, Bird touches on just about everything in the field, and in his typically clear and plainspoken style that renders even the densest subject matter freshman-friendly.

“It’s always good to have Bird in hand. David’s first edition has been my standby for years,”  says noted wine author Hugh Johnson. "Understanding Wine Technology, 2nd Edition," is published in North America by The Wine Appreciation Guild, is 265 pages and retails for $39.95 at leading book stores, wine shops, on the web or toll free at (800) 231-9463, FAX (650) 866-3513, or at www.wineappreciation.com .  ISBN 1-891267-91-4

Darryl Beeson travels the world looking for great wine values. In the past, he has been wine steward or cellar master for The Mansion on Turtle Creek, Voltaire, and The Adolphus Hotel. Not one for stuffiness or secret handshakes relative to wine, this Texan might now be described as a "ki-yi-yippee sommelier, sommelier." Beeson reports on wine, spirits, food and travel for numerous publications.

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