HELP Please... I've got a problem..

Dec 28, 2006 11 Replies

The LCBO, my local supplier and the worlds single largest purchaser of spirits, has on its shelves a Signatory 1981 Brora, non chill filtered, cask strength, single cask.



Normally I would simply scoop a bottle or two of any Brora showing up on the shelves simply because I think it is amazing stuff. But as I was trying to find an employee with the key to the cabinet I noticed that in small letters on the label were the words "sherry cask".



And thus the problem begins..



I don't like peated whisky that has spent too long in Sherry and by any stretch 24 or 25 years is too long.



it gets worse.. Normally I would check the colour of the whisky to try and determine how much of a Sherry note I would expect, I'm pretty comfortable doing this with green bottles, it is easy with clear ones, this bottle is however some sort of opaque presentation bottle.



Finally it is too much money to throw away if I don't like or want it..( $350 CDN)



Does anyone know this whisky? Can anyone point me to a review?



should read "is IN some sort of opaque presentation CASE" ((sealed) the barstids)

Have you seen this one?

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(350 CDN ! wow - that's ''only'' about 75UKP, glad I'm over here.

-> Have you seen this one?

->

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I had not seen that site, I'm going to have to spend some time comparing my collections against that one..(and we'll have to see if trans-Atlantic trading works, after 9/11 trading with the US from Canada has become almost impossible). Sadly the one I'm eying isn't on the page, it is an '06 bottling.

We do get hammered with provincial taxes on any of the smaller issues, for standard stuff the price is +/- 10% of what the UK consumer pays. That being said the cheapest prices I've ever found are in Calgary Alberta as much as 30% less than the UK chains like oddbins .. and yes I have occasionally taken the four hour flight just to buy whisky.

One thing that causes problems is that Euro and US bottlings are not the same. Because the Euro bottle is typically 700ml and the US is 750ml, they are bottled from different batches due to the complexity of switching volume/bottle sizes. You can get an idea of the malt's rating, but be careful in making too much of a European rating on a US bottle and vs.

"ajames54" wrote in news:1167397469.755736.59790 @i12g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Wow....galavanting around the world just to buy whisky. Impressive, for a Calgarian! I just bought the 2006 Brora 30yr from Willow Park Spirits...

WF

I bring back a few malts whenever I visit Calgary (from Vancouver). Last I looked, Alberta prices on single malts were 30-40 per cent lower than in B.C.

I believe the difference is not so much in the privatized liquor stores

-- though I think that does help with the selection -- but with the provincial taxation regime. If memory serves, Alberta adds a flat tax per bottle, while B.C. adds a percentage of the import price. So in B.C., the price of a good malt really escalates.

In Calgary, the Willow Park store has the best collection I've seen. Kensington Wines, a little more centrally located, doesn't have as broad a selection, but they always have a few items of interest, mostly from independent bottlers.

bill

[...]

the Malt Maniacs Monitor lists a: Brora 24y, 1981/2006, 59,3%, Signatory, Sherry Cask #1517, 597 Bottles tasted by 13 maniacs, average score was 87p out of 100 possible.

Serge's notes on this whisky : |Brora 24yo 1981/2006 (59.3%, Signatory, sherry butt #1517, 597 bottles) | Colour: pale amber. | Nose: much closer to the OMC than to its sibling by Signatory, | with exactly the same kind of mix of wax and fruits plus | the trademark farminess at first nosing. Now, it develops | in a different direction, more on coffee and caramel | (Werthers) plus roasted nuts. Hard to tell you which nose I | prefer. | Mouth: same whisky again on the palate, with just a little | extra-power from the alcohol and maybe a feeling of | saltiness (from the alcohol???) | Finish: a bit creamier and longer but again, its just the same | whisky. | 88 points. ("same whisky" reffers to "Brora 23yo 1981/2005 (58.2%, Signatory, sherry butt #1555, 535 bottles)", tating notes are available under the same link).

HTH, urs

bill van wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.telus.net:

Willow Park does have the largest stock, but the Kensington Wine Mart has the most bottlings from the independents, especially Dewer Rattay, Gordon & Macphails, Old Malt Cask, Platinum Old & Rare, Coinsuerrs Choice and the McMurray line....

Other places to try upon your next visit would be "Bin 905"(downtown Calgary), "Highlander Wine & Spirits" (right along the transcanada highway on the western side of the city), or "Crowfoot Liquor Boutique" in Crowfoot Plaza. The places are not as extensive as the other 2, but all offer the odd unique item.

WF

I don't know how big ther stock is, but the service provided by The Cellar in Calgary, in response to telephonic and online gift orders, is outstanding!

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Thanks, WF. That will be some time this year, I expect.

bill

That is indeed the one.. many thanks.. I find myself in agreement with most of the the reviews I've read from the group so I guess I'll have to pick that up.

Whisky Fool, 2 things ...

1)which Brora 30 did you pick up.. I've got a Flora and Fauna Bottle at home waiting for a special occasion 2) drop me an e-mail I'm looking for a mule ... errr I mean agent who will pick stuff up for me and pass it to UPS..

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