I was gifted this 37.5cl Bell’s Decanter on my travels.
A lot were sold over the years.
Wade pottery made my decanter with production in both Stoke & Portadown to keep up with demand.
The design here was in use from 1966 to 1988 – but as my decanter sports a barcode plus 40% ABV notation it suggests a 1980’s offering.
To celebrate Burn’s Night fellow whisky fans were invited round for a grand opening & drinking of the Bell’s.
The plastic seal on the cap was intact on removal.
Trying to prise open the cork it split in half!
Undeterred a corkscrew was utilised.
Sadly it only proceeded to open up a hole as the cork disintegrated into small pieces & a tea strainer had to be used to filter the whisky!
Nonetheless pleasant sweet & fruity aromas rose from the glass.
Decent depth & a rich body on the palate suggested sherry cask influence.
A flourish of spice on the rear left us all agreeing the 35yrs or so in the decanter hadn’t harmed this lovely little drinker.
My only disappointment was not detecting any peat influence – which I was expecting – but hey – it’s not every day you crack open a slice of Scottish Blended Whisky history!
Grouse come in a variety of species – just like their whisky counterparts.
Red & Black Grouse with a Teacher inbetween c/othewhiskeynut
The Red – or Famous Grouse – is the most common & biggest selling of the Matthew Gloag dynasty of blended Scotch.
Ptarmigan – or Snow Grouse – are quite a scarce bird to encounter – just like blended grain whisky.
Snow Grouse c/othewhiskeynut
Black Grouse are a bit more easy to find – & the species proudly adorns the bottle of Smoky Black Grouse Whisky.
Smoky Black c/othewhiskeynut
Promising a heavier & peatier experience – Smoky Grouse delivers.
The smoke is rather subdued & very well balanced – it won’t blow you away – making for a very easy drinker with a touch of character.
Peated Glenturret c/othewhiskeynut
While the Red Grouse is easily found in Ireland – Snow & Black Grouse are rarely encountered. Brexit is also causing problems with whisky imports/exports & could lead to higher prices.
It looks like the expansion of Grouse in Ireland could hit a rocky patch.
Despite being July – it’s winter in Tasmania and a heavy depression was forecast bearing snow. We decided to head North out of Hobart for the day to avoid the white stuff.
The spectacular scenery of the Derwent River Valley soon had us in awe prompting many stops for photos. Very quickly we passed by road signs naming towns I knew harboured whisky distilleries. Alas – being the driver for the day meant I had to pass them by!
Cambridge – Home to the Lark Distillery after moving out of it’s Hobart base.
Kempton – The whole farm to bottle ethos of Peter Bignell certainly produces some excellent rye whisky.
Bothwell – The Nant Distillery has it’s picturesque base here.
There were also a myriad of signs beckoning the wine lover to vineyards. Tasmania is truly full of wine, whisky and beer production to please all tastes.
The rains soon came down after we had crossed over Spring Hill Tier which at nearly 400m / 1300ft is one of the highest points on the Midland Highway. Rains so persistent and heavy that it reminded Mrs Whiskey of driving to work in Galway!
Pert Post Office c/othewhiskeynut
I only got out of the car for a brief photo opportunity at Perth. Partly as the Post Office corrugated iron work architecture appealed to me and also in homage to Perth in Scotland – once a hotbed of whisky distilling and blending being former hometown to Bells, Dewars and Famous Grouse.
By the time we reached our destination of Launceston there were flood reports on the radio. It reminded us of Midlands 103 back home and the flooding in Athlone – although we both had to laugh at the irony of Dangerous Dave on Heart 107.3 as he tended to play the most inoffensive middle of the road rock ever. We did sing along though – despite the downpour outside! Shame he didn’t play this exciting slice of Aussie pop.
Launceston also happens to have a new whisky distillery in the making – Launceston Distillery – as well as housing the James Boag Brewery of which tours are available.
We chose some lunch however.
Pierre’s Restaurant Brasserie seemed to satisfy both of our requirements. Fine food for herself and some fine whisky for me.
We weren’t disappointed.
The warm sumptuous interior contrasted with the wild wet weather outside. There were quite a few lunchtime diners delaying their departure until the deluge subsided.
I ordered a bowl of hot tasty soup along with a Nant American Oak Sherry Wood Single Cask – well – we had passed by the distillery on the way. The sherry finish gave a sweet body to the rather light yet well balanced single malt.
Nant American Oak Single Cask c/othewhiskeynut
Hesrelf had a lovely wine and Thai fish cakes.
Tasmania seems to excel in it’s gastronomic delights. Our meal was only a light snack yet was bursting with flavours – much like the Tassie whisky!
I got chatting with some of the friendly helpful staff. They have quite a range of Tassie whisky on show at the front bar. Whisky and gin tasting evenings have been held which were very well attended and enjoyed. More events supporting locally produced food & drinks are always being explored.It’s a pity we wouldn’t be around for the next extravaganza.
Pierre’s whisky c/othewhiskeynut
Luckily by the time we had finished our lovely meal the rains had eased allowing us a visit to Launceston Cataract Gorge which was our intended tourist spot of the day.
The heavily wooded steep sided slopes drop down to a raging river below swelled by all the recent precipitation. A cable car ride across the ravine is a high point but sadly it happened to be closed. We made do with a walk along the forested trail. Dusk wasn’t far away and some of the local wildlife made their presence felt.
Tasmanian Pademelon c/oMrsWhiskey
A quick snap of the animal confirmed it to be a Tasmanian Pademelon. A small type of kangaroo only found in Tasmania and normally nocturnal in it’s habits. Seeing it certainly made us happy to have spotted a few of them in their natural environment.
Not a bad way to end our trip to Launceston – despite the lashing rain!
WestmeathWhiskeyWorld 