Page 7 of 8 FirstFirst ... 5678 LastLast
Results 91 to 105 of 112

Thread: Let's talk Whisky!

  1. #91
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    The Glenlivet Capsule Collection

    The Glenlivet's 'Capsule Collection' Is Sort of Like Gushers, but Whisky
    The 23-milliliter cocktail-containing pods are made from seaweed.
    By Mike Pomranz October 04, 2019


    GLENLIVET

    People have likely been drinking Scotch whisky for over five hundred years. But eating Scotch whisky in capsules made from seaweed? Yeah, that's only been happening for a day or so.

    Speyside distillery The Glenlivet—the world's second best-selling brand of Scotch—has unveiled its "Capsule Collection," described as "glassless cocktails" that are instead served in a casing produced from seaweed-extract, billed as "one of nature's most renewable resources." (Apparently, reusable glassware just isn't sustainable enough!) Each capsule contains 23 milliliters of booze that can be enjoyed simply by popping the whole thing in your mouth and biting for "an instant burst of flavor." Drinkers can then simply swallow the capsule which is "fully biodegradable" (which hopefully could have gone without saying!)

    "As a brand that celebrates originality, we are always looking to break the conventions that have determined how single malt Scotch has historically been enjoyed," Miriam Eceolaza, director of The Glenlivet, said in the announcement. "The Glenlivet Capsule Collection does exactly that, and we're excited to see how people react when they try our glassless cocktails. Our founder, George Smith, always went against the grain, bucking tradition and doing things differently. The Glenlivet Capsule Collection continues his pioneering spirit today."



    To create the capsules, The Glenlivet partnered with the London bar Tayēr + Elementary, where bartender and co-owners Alex Kratena and Monica Berg crafted original cocktails for the three different varieties they are offered in: Citrus, Wood, and Spice. Meanwhile, the capsules' casings come courtesy of Notpla, a sustainable packaging start-up. The Glenlivet says they are the first spirits brand to work with company. "At Notpla we want to create original solutions for how to serve and consume drinks, and The Glenlivet is a brand that is looking to do just the same," Co-founder and Co-CEO Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez stated.

    The capsules launched today as part of London Cocktail Week. If you happen to be in England, you can give these wild capsules a try by dropping by Tayēr where they are being served as "an amuse-bouche on arrival" throughout the event, which lasts until October 13. A spokesperson for The Glenlivet tells Food & Wine that the capsules are not yet available or approved for consumption in the United States, but don't be surprised if that changes in the near future.
    There's been a lot of backlash on the interwebz about this, but I would totally try them.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  2. #92
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    36th Chamber
    Posts
    12,423
    The capsules ruin the entire process of drinking.
    He most honors my style who learns under it to destroy the teacher. -- Walt Whitman

    Quote Originally Posted by David Jamieson View Post
    As a mod, I don't have to explain myself to you.

  3. #93
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    Ky



    Kentucky Whiskeys Claim Top Three Spots In 2020 World’s Best Whiskey Awards
    words: ASHLIE HUGHES
    updated: OCTOBER 18TH, 2019

    Jim Murray, industry expert and author of the annual best-selling Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible, has awarded three of his top accolades for the best whiskeys of the year to the New Orleans-based Sazerac company.

    Scoring 97.5 out of 100, the brand’s 1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon, from the Barton 1792 distillery, took the top prize of World Whisky of the Year. The whiskey is described by Murray as being “melodious, mysterious, and slightly exotic.”

    The 2020 release is noteworthy in that it’s the first time the book’s publisher has released a North American version, with a greater emphasis on American and Canadian producers compared to past editions.

    “It’s as though Kentucky knew we were producing this first North American edition. But we had strictly kept it under wraps. If Kentucky was ever going to steal the show, this was the year to do it,” Murray said in a press release.

    To confirm there was no preferential treatment shown, Murray followed up his book’s release with this statement: “Once I knew the top three were from the same company, I spent two extra days running through my top 10 [whiskeys] once more … and the results came out exactly the same!”

    Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2020 features tasting notes for nearly 5,000 whiskeys and is available for purchase online. The book will make its way to U.S. retailers in late October.
    Kentucky Tipples' Triple Triumph: Sazerac Brands Sweep the Board in 'Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible -- World Whisky of the Year' Awards
    NEWS PROVIDED BY
    Jim Murray's Whisky Bible
    Oct 17, 2019, 15:21 ET

    FRANKFORT, Ky., Oct. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jim Murray has handed an unprecedented triple crown to Kentucky whiskey in the latest edition of his best-selling annual Whiskey Bible. Upon unveiling the 2020 "World Whisky of the Year" Awards, the renowned spirits writer and industry expert has created another first by giving all top three accolades for the finest new drams on earth to the same whiskey company: New Orleans-based Sazerac.


    Jim Murray's Whisky Bible

    Top prize of "World Whisky of the Year" goes to the 1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon from the Barton 1792 distillery, a whiskey Jim Murray describes as "melodious, mysterious and slightly exotic" with a nose of "near-perfect proportions" and with an "unfaltering" finish when tasted.

    The runners-up, from 1,250 new expressions tasted throughout the world by Jim Murray this year, are both Buffalo Trace brands: bourbon William Larue Weller 125.7 proof, the latest version of last year's victor, and Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye 127.2 proof.

    "There will be eyebrows raised and claims of favoritism which, of course, is never the case with the Whiskey Bible: I call it exactly as I see it," stated Jim Murray. "Once I knew the top three were from the same company, I spent two extra days running through my top 10 whiskies once more … and the results came out exactly the same!

    "For the 1792 Distillery to win 'World Whisky of the Year' is extraordinary because when I first went there some 25 years ago, the then-owners had no interest in high-end whiskey. The oldest they produced was a 6-year-old, which I thought was one of the most complex on the market but still undercooked. I implored them then to bring out something much older.

    "It is wonderful that my gut instinct of 25 years ago has been vindicated under the ownership of Sazerac, who have turned a potentially great distillery into something truly magnificent."

    This year's release of the best-selling Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible is also notable in that it's the first time ever that Dram Good Books, Ltd. (the book's publisher) has released a North American version of the book. This unique edition has greater emphasis on the American and Canadian sections, highlighting the region's whiskies in the forefront of the 384-page guide.

    Jim Murray added: "It's as though Kentucky knew we were producing this first North American edition. But we had strictly kept it under wraps. If Kentucky was ever going to steal the show, this was the year to do it. And, even by their own their high standards, they've exceeded themselves and duly obliged. Considering the quality of the whiskies they were up against worldwide, that's quite amazing, really."

    "To not only be named 'World Whisky of the Year' but also to have our whiskeys named second- and third-finest is astonishing," remarked Mark Brown, President of Sazerac. "We could not be happier nor more motivated to continue to strive for perfection in the American whiskeys we make."

    Sectional winners include the Taiwanese Nantou Distillery Omar Cask Strength Bourbon Cask (Single Cask of the Year); Glen Grant Aged 18 Years Rare Edition (Scotch); Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare (Blended Scotch); Penderyn Single Cask no.M75-32 (European); and Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt (Japanese).

    Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2020 (SRP $19.99) contains tasting notes for almost 5,000 whiskies and is available for purchase now on www.whiskybible.com and can be found at U.S. book retailers in late October.

    For press inquiries, contact Amber Gallaty (The Gallavant Group) at amber@thegallavantgroup.com or (917) 653-5244.

    About Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible

    Now in its 17th year of publication and approaching one million copies sold, Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible is the original and most comprehensive whiskey guide in the world. As a pioneer in whiskey writing and reviewing (in 1992, he became the world's first-ever full-time whisky writer), Jim Murray tastes every whiskey in the book under a proprietary process known as "The Murray Method" to ensure that each is evaluated fairly and accurately. Jim Murray's Whisky Bible is published in the U.K. and USA by Dram Good Books, Ltd. The 2020 edition marks the first year the company has released a North American version of the book.

    Related Images
    jim-murrays-whisky-bible-2020.jpg
    Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2020 North American Edition

    Related Links

    Jim Murray's Whisky Bible

    SOURCE Jim Murray's Whisky Bible

    Related Links
    http://www.whiskybible.com
    I should really give this a read...
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  4. #94
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    $16.7 m

    At this price, it trancends the term 'booze'



    This Man’s Whisky Collection Just Won a Guinness World Record
    words: ASHLIE HUGHES
    photo: WEBER SHANDWICK / PA
    updated: NOVEMBER 25TH, 2019

    One man’s impressive twenty-year booze-filled scavenger hunt has landed him in the Guinness World Records as the owner of the world’s most valuable whisky collection.

    Viet Nguyen Dinh Tuan, a resident of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, owns a collection of 535 old and rare Scotch whiskies valued to be worth £10,770,635 (approximately $13.9 million), the Drinks Business reports.

    With the 21-percent buyer’s premium that would be added if the collection were sold through an auctioneer like Sotheby’s or Bonhams, Guinness World Records officially valued the collection at £13,032,468 (approximately $16.7 million) on Nov. 1, 2019.

    Among the Vietnamese businessman’s treasures are three bottles of the 1926 Macallan Fine and Rare whisky (considered to be the “Holy Grail” of whiskies) and a bottle of the oldest Bowmore ever released.

    The quest to own such rare gems has been a lifelong passion for Viet. “Every spare moment I get, I’m searching auction sites and trading websites to find famous and rare whiskies from around the world,” he says. “Clearly this requires a lot of patience and no shortage of tenacity, but I’m proud of my efforts.”

    He added: “As for my collection, I have no intention of selling any of it. Not one bottle. In fact, I’ll continue to hunt for more old and rare bottles and add to and enrich it.”

    Here’s wondering what Viet’s glassware collection looks like.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  5. #95
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    WhiskEy with an E

    Irish, not Scotch.



    It’s international Whiskey Day
    Jack Beresford
    BY: Jack Beresford
    March 03, 2020

    IT'S THE most wonderful time of the year…for whiskey lovers.

    March 3 represents a momentous date in the calendar for anyone with an appreciation for Ireland’s greatest alcoholic spirit.

    Now more than a decade old, International Whiskey Day is rare a chance to raise a glass in celebration to this most famous of tipples.

    International Irish Whiskey Day or Irish Whiskey Day is celebrated March 3 because of the special significance the number has when it comes to whiskey in Ireland.

    For example, there are three established styles of Irish Whiskey: Single Grain, Single Malt and Single Pot Still.

    It’s also a well-known fact that Irish Whiskey must be matured for at least three years before it can be called whiskey.

    Last but definitely not least, there’s the fact that traditional Irish Whiskey is triple distilled.

    March 3 also represents the perfect date for anyone eager to warm-up for the imminent St Patrick’s Day celebrations – exactly two weeks away.

    International Whiskey Day was first launched in 2009 at the Whiskey Day Festival in the northern Netherlands of all places.



    It was the brainchild of a group of seasoned whiskey writers who wanted to do something in honour of fellow critic Michael Jackson (not him), who passed away two years earlier.

    Jackson’s birthday fell on March 3, making it the perfect day for participants to raise a glass in memory of their friend.

    In the years since, it has evolved into a celebration of whiskey in its many forms and an opportunity for the Irish diaspora all around the world to get together for a drink.

    Irish whiskey tasting events are common, while social media provides the perfect platform for enthusiasts to compare and contrast their experiences of the day under the hashtag #IrishWhiskeyDay.

    The perfect excuse to indulge in a glass or two of your favourite spirit the only real question left is a simple one: what are you drinking.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  6. #96
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    Sunken Scotch


    EDITORS' PICK|240,720 views|Aug 2, 2020,04:20am EDT
    Scotch Whisky Salvaged From 80-Year-Old Shipwreck To Be Sold At Auction
    Brad Japhe
    Contributor
    Spirits
    You can find me at the confluence of food, beverage and travel.


    A shipwreck off the coast of the Falkland Islands BRAD JAPHE

    It’s called sunken scotch. And it’s practically a category unto itself: whisky rescued from the cargoes of a wrecked ship, resting for untold periods of time below the tides. Every few years tales of brown spirit raised from these depths grab headlines, while the liquor itself fetches top dollar at auction. The latest example happens to be scotch salvaged from perhaps the most famous shipwreck of the modern era. And it’s expected to earn as much as $20,000 in an on-going auction now live, online.

    The bottle in question was retrieved from the wreck of the SS Politician. The ill-fated vessel ran aground during WWII and was at the center of a national firestorm shortly thereafter. On its way to Jamaica, by way of Western Scotland, the cargo ship was carrying some 28,000 cases of whisky when it foundered on rocks along the rugged shoals of the Outer Hebrides.

    After official attempts at salvage had ceased, nearby islanders made their move on the coveted contents of the Politician. Although the UK government viewed such actions as thievery, the locals saw it quite differently. According to contemporaneous reports, a widespread effort among the Hebridean communities was labeled a ‘whisky rescue.’ This led to a protracted battle between the accused scallawags and tax collectors from mainland Scotland and, eventually, London. Because no duty had been paid on the whisky, members of HM Customs and Excise eventually went after anyone proven to have lifted cargo from the ship.

    One local in particular helped immortalize these hijinks, attracting international attention. Compton Mackenzie, of Barra island, sensationalized the circumstances as the background for a novel called Whisky Galore. Published in 1947, it was adapted into a fairly popular British comedy of the same name two years later. A remake debuted at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 2016.

    But the bottle currently up for sale at the Grand Whisky Auction house isn’t part of that controversially recovered booty. It was raised by George Currie more than fifty years later. The deep sea repairman was working on a subsea cable off the Hebridean coast when he hit pay dirt. Along with a team of divers, they were able to recover a VAT 69, Ballantine’s and four bottles of a now-defunct brand known as Gibbey’s.

    In 2013, a pair of similarly aged whisky from the SS Politician sold together for £12,050.

    What does that particular offering taste like? Well that would be impossible to guess. There is no labeling of any sort on the glass. You won’t even get a chance to know where it was made nor a ballpark approximation of its age statement, let alone tasting notes.

    Just remember: whisky doesn’t mature in the bottle. So the subsequent 80-odd years it has spent stored away undersea does not accumulate as part of its overall age. If this whisky was distilled in 1930, for example, and then bottled just before its notorious 1941 journey, it remains a 11-year-old expression.

    Nonetheless, the liquid does wear a beautiful burgundy color up beyond the shoulders of the bottle. An airtight wax top and high fill-level suggest that there’s been little oxidation here. As a result, a sip of this spirit is likely to be quite close to how it originally tasted nearly 80 years ago.

    If you’re on the fence about purchasing, perhaps this will convince you to take the plunge: The lot comes with a diving helmet, bricks from the actual SS Politician. and an original movie poster for the 2016 Whisky Galore remake, which currently holds a 44% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Hopefully the whisky aged better than the film it helped inspire.


    Brad Japhe
    Brad Japhe is a freelance journalist specializing in food, beverage, and travel. He moonlights as a beer and spirits consultant, hosting monthly craft pairings/educational dinners in both Los Angeles and New York, and curating drink menus for festivals and restaurants. He prefers Scotch to bourbon, IPAs before lagers, and In-n-Out over Shake Shack. His favorite breed of dog is unequivocally the Siberian Husky and he suffers from an irrational, unrequited love for the New York Knicks. Troll him on Instagram: @Journeys_with_Japhe
    The flavor doesn't change once it's bottled.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  7. #97
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    What manner of devilry is this?


    Photograph: Courtesy InterContinental Grand Stanford

    Intercontinental's Whisky Chocolate Mooncake is back for this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival
    Take advantage of the early bird special of up to 35 percent discount for orders made on or before August 31
    By Time Out Hong Kong Posted: Tuesday August 4 2020, 8:26pm

    This year, Intercontinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong has launched an array of premium mooncake collections from classic flavours to innovative whisky infused chocolate creation.

    The hotel's coveted Whisky Chocolate Mooncake ($428/box of four) is back this year, and it's sure to satiate whisky buffs and foodies alike. The signature mooncake features four different types of single-origin chocolates from Ghana, Ecuador, Vietnam, and Grenada. Each of these carefully chosen chocolates contains varying levels of cocoa and distinct characters that, when blended with the specially aged Speyside whisky, produces a unique whisky tasting experience. The whisky used for the mooncakes is aged in sherry-seasoned mini barrels at Tiffany’s New York Bar for six weeks to develop a more in-depth profile to the dram.


    Intercontinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong's premium mooncake collections

    Aside from the chocolate mooncakes, the Mini Lava Custard mooncake ($318/box of six) created by Executive Chinese Chef Leung Fai Hung is also making its debut this year. The mooncake features a velvety and luscious custard filling using premium butter and salted egg yolks from Gao You in Yangzhou City.

    Mini Lava Custard mooncake

    For those who prefer traditional flavours, there is also the classic White Lotus Seed Purée Mooncake with Double Yolk ($388/box of four) made using silk white lotus seed purée with savoury salted egg yolks.


    These festive delights come in an elegant traditional lantern design packaging that is perfect as a gift for loved ones or colleagues. Place your orders today via Intercontinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong online shop and take advantage of the early bird special of up to 35 percent discount for orders made on or before August 31. The mooncakes will be available for redemption from September 11 to October 1. Elaine Soh
    I just realized we have two threads on the Moon Festival:
    Happy-Autumn-Moon-!!! & Happy-mid-autumn-festival. Maybe I should merge?

    Also, there's my fav thread: Let-s-talk-Whisky!
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  8. #98
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    Brilliant!

    Wish I had thought of this...

    Son sells 28 years of birthday whisky to buy first home
    Published 2 days ago


    Matthew Robson was given a bottle of 18-year-old whisky every year for his birthday which is now worth £40,000
    A man whose father gave him 18-year-old whisky every year for his birthday is selling the collection to buy a house.
    Matthew Robson, from Taunton, was born in 1992 and over the course of his life his father Pete has spent about £5,000 on 28 bottles of Macallan single malt.

    The collection is now worth more than £40,000 and has been put up for sale.
    The 28-year-old said it "probably wasn't" the best gift for a young boy but with "strict instructions never to open them" they had become a nest egg.


    Pete Robson said the whisky "wasn't the only present" he gave his son Matthew for his birthday
    Macallan whisky


    Matthew said he was under "strict instructions, never, never to open" his whisky birthday presents

    "Each year I received it as a birthday present," Matthew said. "I thought it was quite a quirky little present as I was slightly too young to start drinking.
    "But I was under strict instructions, never, never to open them and I tried my hardest and succeeded and they're all intact."
    His father Pete, who is from Milnathort in Scotland, said the first bottle of 1974 whisky was bought to "wet the baby's head".
    "I thought it would be interesting if I bought one every year and he'd end up with 18 bottles of 18-year-old whisky for his 18th birthday," he said.
    "It wasn't the only present he got from us. It was just meant to be a unique present but it was a little bit of luck that we kept it going."


    Whisky broker, Mark Littler, said has been "a lot of interest already" in the collection

    Since then, experts say Macallan has become collectable and Matthew is hoping to sell his collection for £40,000 and use the money for a house deposit.
    It is being sold by whisky broker Mark Littler, who has described it as a "perfect set".
    "The value of Macallan has risen massively over the last five to 10 years," he said. "To have such a vast collection of bottles is the real selling point of these."
    He said there had been "a lot of interest already" in the collection, mostly from buyers in New York and Asia.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  9. #99
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    I'm not sure why Gwyneth news is so fascinating here...

    ...hold the phone. Quinoa whiskey?

    Gwyneth Paltrow drank whiskey ‘every night’ during COVID-19 lockdown
    By Jesse O’NeillMay 9, 2021 | 12:28am

    Gwyneth Paltrow went "totally off the rails" in quarantine.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

    The actress, who is well known for her wellness and lifestyle brand Goop, concocted a lot of quinoa whiskey cocktails to help her get through the lockdown, according to The Mirror.

    “I was drinking seven nights a week and making pasta and eating bread. I went totally off the rails,” Paltrow, 48, said, according to the article.

    “I mean, who drinks multiple drinks seven nights a week? Like that’s not healthy. I love whiskey and I make this fantastic drink called the Buster Paltrow, which I named after my grandfather who loved whiskey sours,” the actress reportedly continued.

    “And it’s this great quinoa whiskey from this distillery in Tennessee with maple syrup and lemon juice. It’s just heaven. I would have two of those every night of quarantine.”

    Paltrow said she did not get “like, black-out” drunk, but was hankering for cigarettes during her nightly imbibing.

    “I miss it,” she said of her former smoking habit, according to the British tabloid.

    threads
    Gwyneth-amp-Goop
    covid
    Let-s-talk-Whisky!
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  10. #100
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    The 10th Anniversary of World Whisky Day is tomorrow!

    https://www.worldwhiskyday.com/

    15 May 2021
    A day of global whisky celebration
    World Whisky Day brings people across the globe together to celebrate the water of life. This year is an extra special one for us: we’ll be raising a dram to mark the tenth anniversary of World Whisky Day.

    I hope you have your refreshments ready.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  11. #101
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    The government stole our whiskey

    |Aug 4, 2021,04:35pm EDT|67,899 views
    Missing $5,800 Bottle Of Japanese Whiskey Given To Trump Administration Has State Dept. On The Rocks

    Joe Walsh
    Forbes Staff
    Business
    I cover breaking news for Forbes.

    TOPLINE The U.S. State Department is trying to track down an expensive bottle of whiskey the government of Japan gave to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo more than two years ago, the department revealed in a filing Wednesday.

    Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife Susan hold glasses of beer during a visit to a brewery ... [+] POOL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

    KEY FACTS
    The State Department’s 2019 list of high-value gifts from foreign governments — released Wednesday — says the $5,800 whiskey bottle’s disposition is “unknown,” adding the department is “looking into the matter and has an ongoing inquiry.”

    Pompeo is listed as the gift’s recipient, but it’s not clear whether he personally received it: He was in Saudi Arabia the day the gift was recorded as having been given to the United States, according to the New York Times, which first reported the news, but he traveled to Japan and met with the country’s foreign minister less than a week later.

    Pompeo’s lawyer William Burck told Forbes the former secretary of state doesn’t recall receiving the bottle and isn’t sure of its whereabouts.

    Forbes has reached out to the Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment.

    CRUCIAL QUOTE
    “Mr. Pompeo has no recollection of receiving the bottle of whiskey and does not have any knowledge of what happened to it. He is also unaware of any inquiry into its whereabouts,” Burck told Forbes in a statement. “He has no idea what the disposition was of this bottle of whiskey.”

    KEY BACKGROUND
    Federal employees are not allowed to keep gifts from foreign governments as souvenirs or for their own personal use, unless their value is under $415. When foreign gifts exceed that threshold, staffers can accept them if their refusal “would likely cause offense or embarrassment or otherwise adversely affect the foreign relations of the United States,” but they’re considered the property of the federal government unless the State Department allows them to be sold, according to federal law.

    SURPRISING FACT
    The gift’s $5,800 value isn’t unusual for rare and high-end Japanese whiskey, which can retail for thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. In 2019, the federal government received at least two other bottles of whiskey: An $8,374 bottle the Japanese government presented to former Trump aide Matthew Pottinger, and a $2,525 bottle and ballpoint pen whose sender wasn’t disclosed, a common practice for gifts received by intelligence agencies.

    TANGENT
    Pompeo has faced ethics-related questions in the past. As secretary of state, he and his wife asked a State Department staffer and longtime family friend to conduct more than 100 personal tasks, including walking their dog, making dinner reservations and sending out family Christmas cards, the department’s inspector general said in April. Pompeo denied that he or his wife had committed any ethics violations and called the report “slander,” “political” and “filled with factual errors.”
    I can see walking their dog but stealing whiskey is wrong.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  12. #102
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    Introducing Four Walls Whiskey, The Better Brown

    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  13. #103
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    Invasive crab whiskey


    A distillery is fighting invasive crabs by turning them into whiskey

    July 11, 20225:00 AM ET
    KAI MCNAMEE


    A green crab caught off the coast of New Hampshire.
    Jennifer Bakos
    They're small. They're green. They're crustaceans.

    And now, they're in whiskey.

    Green crabs are the invasive pests that have plagued North America's marine ecosystems for more than 200 years. A New Hampshire distillery is taking on the problem by using them to make green crab-flavored whiskey. Green crabs are so abundant that it's going to take a lot more than whiskey to curb the population, but some hope bringing awareness to the issue will lead to creative solutions.

    Tamworth Distilling's Crab Trapper whiskey gets some of its flavor from green crabs caught off the coast of New Hampshire. The crabs hitched a ride to the United States on ships coming from Europe around the 1800s. Here, they eat tons of shellfish and destroy estuaries and fish habitats.

    Will Robinson, the product developer at Tamworth Distilling who had the idea for the project, said the crabs were cleaned and prepared just like any other crab you might order at a restaurant.


    A fisherman pours green crabs into a bucket.
    Jennifer Bakos
    "People are going to hear crab whiskey, and I'd venture to say three-quarters of them are going to go, 'No, absolutely not,'" he said. "But if you can get them to taste it, they totally change their tune for the most part."

    First, they make a crab stock. Then, they distill it using a vacuum still — a glass machine that allows for precise temperature control.

    "It looks like a crazy piece of laboratory equipment," Robinson said. "It preserves the flavor and aroma molecules that would get destroyed if we were to boil it."

    The stock is mixed with spices – like mustard seed, coriander, and cinnamon – then combined with a bourbon base.

    Robinson calls it a "thinking, sipping" drink. "It's meant for you to explore your own perception through your olfactory senses."


    Tamworth Distilling's Crab Trapper Whiskey gets its flavor from invasive green crabs.
    Jennifer Bakos
    Each bottle of whiskey uses about a pound of green crabs, but one distillery alone isn't going to make much of a dent in the green crab population. That's because their numbers are out of control, says Dr. Gabriela Bradt, a marine biologist and fisheries specialist at the University of New Hampshire.

    "They are probably one of the most successful invasive species that we have in North America, at least in the marine world," she said. "They can eat about 40 mussels a day, just one crab. And so you multiply that by a bazillion, and you have no more clams."

    Climate change is making things worse. Warmer ocean temperatures offer more hospitable environments for the invasive crab to thrive.


    A young volunteer (left) works with Dr. Gabriela Bradt (right) to collect data for The Great Green Crab Hunt, a citizen science monitoring project.
    Tim Briggs/New Hampshire Sea Grant
    Still, Bradt said creative projects like Crab Trapper can help address the problem by raising awareness. Her own research focuses on tracking where and when green crabs molt. The idea is that if you can catch them right after they molt, you can cook them like other soft shell crabs and get more people to eat them.

    Right now, there's no commercial incentive for crabbers to harvest green crabs on a scale large enough to make an impact, she said. But she hopes new products that use the crab – like fishing bait, whiskey, fish sauce, and more – could change that.

    Whiskey is just "the hook," Bradt said, to get people informed. "And the more people hear about it, then we get more and more people who might have a really great, innovative idea that we haven't touched upon."
    200mL bottles for $65
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  14. #104
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    Phra Thanakorn

    Thai Buddhist monk claims whiskey helps prevent COVID-19 after being busted for DUI
    A Buddhist monk in Thailand claimed that rice whiskey with lemon prevents Covid-19 after police caught him driving a pickup truck while intoxicated.

    Ryan General

    July 22, 2022



    Phra Thanakorn, 63, is a Buddhist monk from Thailand’s Mueang Loej district who recently got caught driving intoxicated by local police.

    The police officers said they received a report of a monk "causing mayhem" by driving around drunk and asking people for money in the market area.

    When questioned by authorities, Thanakorn admitted to being drunk but said he drank rice whiskey mixed with lemon because he believes it helps prevent COVID-19.

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “drinking alcohol does not protect you against COVID-19 and can be dangerous.”

    Thanakorn is set to be kicked out of monkhood for breaking several monastic rules, such as leaving the temple grounds during the rain retreat, asking for money, getting intoxicated and drunk driving.

    A Buddhist monk in Thailand claimed that rice whiskey with lemon prevents COVID-19 after police caught him driving a pickup truck while intoxicated.

    According to local authorities, they received a report that a monk had been “causing mayhem” by driving around and asking people for money in the market area of Thailand’s Mueang Loej district on Wednesday.

    At around 9:30 a.m., officers from the Loei Provincial Police Station found 63-year-old Buddhist monk Phra Thanakorn drunk while sitting inside a bronze-colored pickup truck parked outside the market. The vehicle had the name of a Buddhist temple emblazoned on its door.

    Thanakorn, whose surname was withheld in local reports, was identified as a Buddhist monk from a local temple.

    Upon questioning, Thanakorn admitted that he was drunk, saying that he did two shots of “40 Degrees” rice whiskey mixed with lemons before driving because he believed it helps prevent COVID-19.

    On its website, the World Health Organization called such a belief a myth, warning the public that, “Drinking alcohol does not protect you against COVID-19 and can be dangerous. The harmful use of alcohol increases your risk of health problems.”

    When the police asked him to exit the vehicle, the monk reportedly staggered and tried to talk but was “speaking nonsense.” He also did not have his ID card when the officers asked for it.

    The police confirmed that he was indeed under the influence of alcohol after they breathalyzed him at the police station.

    Thanakorn explained to the officers that he was observing the Buddhist retreat “Pansa” in the Na Din Dam subdistrict, which involves monks staying on temple grounds for three months.

    The monk said that he and two other monks left the temple that morning to seek alms at the market. The other monks with him had already left, leaving Thanakorn to drive by himself as their usual driver had been in an accident.

    Thanakorn’s stunt makes several offenses to monastic rules, including leaving the temple grounds during the rain retreat, asking for money, getting intoxicated and drunk driving.

    Leoi’s Provincial Office of Buddhism will reportedly ask Thanakorn to leave monkhood for good due to his misdemeanors.




    Featured Image via Thairath Online
    Buddhists-behaving-badly
    Coronavirus-(COVID-19)-Wuhan-Pneumonia
    Let-s-talk-Whisky!
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  15. #105
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,907

    The Yamazaki 55

    An extremely rare Japanese whisky once sold for $795,000 is now being offered again for $60,000
    Ryan General

    September 14, 2021



    Renowned Japanese whisky maker Suntory is gifting the world with its oldest release yet but at a much higher price than when it was initially released in Japan.

    A taste of history: The Yamazaki 55, the oldest single malt Japanese whisky release in House of Suntory’s history, has a “deep amber color; robust aroma redolent of sandalwood and well-ripened fruit; sweet, slightly bitter and woody palate; and slightly bitter yet sweet and rich finish,” according to a press release.

    In 2020, the company initially released just 100 bottles of the 55-year-old whisky, which were sold via a form of lottery for $27,000 (or 3 million yen), Forbes reported.
    Later that year, a Yamazaki 55 bottle was purchased for around $795,000 at an auction.
    According to the company, the release honors the legacy of “three generations of Master Blenders” as well as “the founding family of Japanese whisky.”
    Components of the blend were “distilled in 1960 under the supervision of Suntory’s founder Shinjiro Torii and then aged in Mizunara casks; and in 1964 under Suntory’s Second Master Blender Keizo Saji and then aged in White Oak casks. Suntory’s Fifth-Generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo worked closely with Third-Generation Master Blender Shingo Torii.”
    Fukuyo said that during the blending process of Yamazaki 55, he was inspired by “the passage of time and ‘Wabi-sabi’ – the Japanese belief that imperfections can help to ultimately contribute to perfection.”
    He added that he considers the resulting expression to be more like a “Buddhist statue: calm and mysterious, requiring time to truly enjoy the inner beauty.”
    Highly anticipated release: This month, limited quantities of Yamazaki 55 will be available in the U.S., the U.K., Mainland China and Taiwan with the same allocation and packaging, but at a more expensive price of $60,000.
    Beam Suntory, the American subsidiary of the Japanese company, has pledged to donate $5,000 for every bottle in the 100-bottle international release to the White Oak Initiative. This organization works to ensure white oak forests’ long-term sustainability in the U.S.
    The official tasting notes said the expression treats the palate to a “mixture of sweet and slightly bitter, followed by a woody note from the Mizunara cask.”
    Yamazaki 55 reportedly has a “slightly bitter, a fragrance like scented wood and a hint of smokiness,” which amounts to a “sweet, rich, lingering finish.”
    According to Robb Report, the initial sip from the whisky provides a “shock, soft and rich, almost rum-like in its sweetness, which transitions beautifully into Yamazaki’s characteristic tropical fruit notes. Then, a mildly bitter nuttiness with strong hints of smoked wood leading into a long, lingering finish, sweet and lightly smoky.”
    Featured Image via The Whisky Wash
    Way past my price point...
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •