Bundaberg 125th Anniversary Release

Far to say this is an iconic release from an iconic Australian brand.

It appears that around 1978, some rum was made and somehow was held onto for long enough for it to become part of this fine mix of Queensland’s national drink. It’s no mean feat aging a spirit for 35 years, especially in a climate like the one that hangs like steamy velvet around the distillery in Bundaberg.

Old rum is often pretty ripe, and the liquid here doesn’t fall into that trap. Fans of the brand will still find the signature flavour profile, even as the age has shaved the edges off. Caramel, on the edge of being burnt, skirts the edges of the longest finishing Bundaberg I’ve ever put to my lips.

1,888 700 ml bottles have been produced. Each is numbered and comes in the fine walnut box pictured above. The copper rectangle beneath the liquid is an ingot from the melted down remains of one of the old Bundaberg stills, one that would have made some of the rums present in the bottle. You also get two engraved crystal tumblers, just to remind you that the liquid was made to be shared.

Quality finishes don’t come cheap. $1250 would buy a lot of O.P.

If that seems like a stretch your can get your hands on 125mls for $125, but you’ll have to front the bondhouse in Bundaberg to get it. Best slide behind the wheel of your HJ and get up there, as there are only 3000 available. (#1309 is already in my cabinet)

Vasco. Go.

Small bars have been the making of Sydney’s nightlife in the past few years, as licensing limits have fallen and allowed those whose passion exceeds their bank accounts to get into the business for themselves.

Seeing curated concepts come to life is an utter joy, and nowhere is that more true than at Max Greco’s Vasco on Cleveland St in Surry Hills. The awesome rock’n’roll space is covered from top to bottom in ephemera, from the drum kit built over and around the bar, to the fender stools or the record on the roof. Max has always had one of the biggest personalities in Sydney bartending, and with Vasco the venue, experience and drinks positively radiate his essence. A few drinks in, you could be forgiven for thinking that you’re inside Max, in a totally platonic way of course.

The drinks are excellent, from fruity lady-killers laced with tequila, to my favourite listed drink in Sydney today, Coffee & Cigarettes. Greco’s World Class partner behind the bar, for now at least, came up with this incredible beverage, tying coffee infused gin with bitter amaro and oranges. The on-the-rock drink is everything i’m looking for in a glass.

The snacks too are epic, homestyle inspired italian favourites. The gorgonzola smothered polenta chips haunt my dreams, calling in their sweet siren song for my return.

Vasco is one year old today. Take a date, and Max’s shameless flirting will break the ice on even the most awkward of outings, take a client and get the cred for an out of the way gem, take your parents and they’ll love the vignettes to their youth and the boozy connection to your present.

Go tonight.

Vasco. 421 cleveland street surry hills nsw 2010 australia | map

 

 

Foraged Cocktails with Emil Åreng

I’ve always said that there aren’t enough cocktails with mushroom in them. And what a pretty video as well.

Time Out Melbourne Bar Awards

Last night Melbourne got Sydney’s weather and also a version of Myffy Rigby’s TimeOut bar awards. The upstairs deck of the refurbished Emerson Hotel held host to more Ray Bans than have ever been seen outside of a Sunglass Hut, and lashings of Havana Club, Tempus Two wines and Sail & Anchor beer ensured the golden hue of new-age fun with a vintage feel descended in earnest.

Jason Crawley presided over the smokier crowd than attends most Roots concerts, resplendent in suspenders and dad jokes approaching the mastery of one James France.

Anyways, if history be written by the winners, let’s hope these folk are drafting prose anew.

BEST BARTENDER

Evan Stanley – Black Pearl

BEST BAR FOOD

Cumulus Up

BEST ENTERTAINMENT

Mr Wow’s Emporium

 

BEST FIT OUT

Sweetwater Inn

 

BEST PUB
The Alehouse Project

 

BEST COCKTAIL BAR

The Everleigh

BEST SMALL BAR

Hihou

 

BEST NEW BAR

Los Barbudos

BAR OF THE YEAR

 Black Pearl

 

HOT TALENT

Sarah Fulford – Lily Blacks

 

BEST WINE BAR

Bellota

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

The Carlton Club

HALL OF FAME

The Standard Hotel

Michael Rodrigues, joint CEO for Time Out Australia, explains: “Melbourne’s bar scene contributes so much to the texture of this city, and its great for Time Out to be able to put on these awards in recognition of their contribution. Like great cities, great bars stand the test of time – they weather changes in trends, changes in staff, changes in circumstance. They navigate these challenges because they are able to keep one thing in mind throughout. And that’s us, their lucky customers.”

Gemima Cody, Time Out Melbourne’s food and drink editor, adds: “It’s a great thing to have such a strong mix of new and established venues amongst our winners this year. It really shows that our bar scene has roots and wings, and good drinking isn’t going anywhere.”

For more information on Time Out Melbourne Bar Awards, visit www.au.timeout.com/Melbourne

TimeOutMelbourne  TimeOutMel  #TOMBarAwards

Beefeater 24 Global Competition wrap video

Check out Jason Williams.

Eau de Vie Batched Cocktails – Coming soon to a sofa near you.

What’s better than a cocktail that looks as fantastic as this, served perfectly in a great little bar at the back of the Kirketon Hotel on Darlinghurst Rd?

Having one in the comfort of your own home.

What a wonderful happenstance today with two little bottles of joy arriving express, courtesy of my favourite Norwegian. A bottle each of the first batch of bottled cocktails. One Coconut & Banana Old Fashioned and a Cold Drip Negroni. Both bottles went in the freezer, and I’m sipping on the Cold Drip Negroni, as I write this. Tanqueray, Campari, Sweet Vermouth and a lick of cold drip single origin coffee.

Now, I’ll be honest. I’m not really a fan of twists on the Negroni, most just seem tanke away from the deliciousness that is herbal, floral and bitter all at once. It’s not like it’s missing something. Really, what is the point of fucking with something so close to perfection?

However, the cold drip gives a rich earthy flavour that sits down with the other three ingredients like it was born to it. There’s even a hint in the note from Sven that the ambition is to one day sell these down the offie, so everyone will be able to enjoy a taste of the good life at home.

I’m not sure I’m willing to transfer my allegiance from the classic yet, but I will be heading down to try one of these in situ very soon. You should too.

Eau de Vie. 229 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

The New Blue

Check out the new West Winds bottlle! Gorgeous colour and the thicker base takes it a step away from the first edition wine bottle, while retaining that connection to the Margaret River wine region it calls home.

Like the cheeky treatment in this poster too. Possibly the most relevant Bombay has been in some time.

What do you think?

 

Winner

Old news now, but finally found a half decent shot of local lad done good, Jason Williams.

You can try the drink, Werewolves of London, that has won him global acclaim at The Rook here in Sydney.

He’s won a trip to Japan next year, to learn about tea, which gives the Beefeater 24 its unique flavour and a product mention in this post.

You’d think he’d look happier about it, maybe those rumours about Gin making you depressed are true.

 

This One’s Max

Cool little start of a campaign breaking in Australia for Ketel One.  The video content is supported by OOH placements on bus shelters. Brands have been treating bartenders like heroes for a while now, but this really steps it up a notch.

Great call using Max Greco for one of the first vids too. He is awesome.

You can see some more videos here, and I’d guess there’s more to come.

Sh*t brand ambassadors say

not new, but hasn’t aged a day. Almost fell off my bar stool. again.

Time Out Bar Awards 2014

Time Out y’all. So far ahead of the trends that they’re holding the 2014 Bar Awards in 2013.

What’s more, there is a Melbourne version for the first time ever, and the Sydney one will be held on an island during the day.

Ticket links at the bottom, after the nominees. You’d be mad not to get on board.

MELBOURNE NOMINEES

 

BEST BARTENDER

Tom Ambroz- Los Barbudos

Josh Crawford- The Rum Diary Bar

Hayden Lambert- Bar Americano

Evan Stanley- The Black Pearl

Alistair Walker- The Everleigh

BEST BAR FOOD

Bar Di Stasio

The Beaufort Bar

Cumulus Up

Hell of the North

Hihou

BEST ENTERTAINMENT

The Gem

Howler

Local Taphouse

Mr Wow’s Emporium

Shebeen

 

BEST FIT OUT

Bar Ampere

Bar Economico

The Everleigh

Hihou

Sweetwater Inn

BEST PUB

The Alehouse

The Gem

The Grace Darling

Local Taphouse

The Standard Hotel

BEST COCKTAIL BAR

Bar Americano

The Black Pearl

EDV

The Everleigh

Lily Blacks

BEST SMALL BAR

Bar Ampere

Bar Economico

Hihou

Los Barbudos

Whisky and Alement

 

BEST NEW BAR

Bar Economico

Bellota

Cumulus Up

Los Barbudos

The Rum Diary Bar

HOT TALENT

Jackson Evans- Misty Bar

Sarah Fulford- Lily Blacks

Lewis Halls- The Black Pearl

Jack Scotti- EDV

Dar Warren- 1806

 

BEST WINE BAR

Bellota

Cumulus Up

Gerald’s Bar

Hell of the North

Neighbourhood Wine

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

The Alehouse Project

Bar Americano

Bar Ampere

The Beaufort Bar

The Black Pearl

The Carlton Club

EDV

Los Barbudos

The Rum Diary Bar

Whisky and Alement

 

SYDNEY NOMINEES

 

BEST BARTENDER

Charlie Ainsbury- Eau de Vie

Jay Gray- Lobo Plantation

Lewis Jaffrey- Baxter Inn

Luke Redington- Hello Sailor

Adi Ruiz- Bulletin Place

BEST BAR FOOD

10 William Street

Mary’s

The Morrison

Rockpool Bar & Grill

Sokyo Lounge

BEST ENTERTAINMENT

Arcadia Liquors

The Beresford

Frankies

Midnight Special

Vic on the Park

BEST FIT OUT

Earl’s Juke Joint

The Henson

Lobo Plantation

Miss Peaches

Monopole

BEST PUB

The Courthouse

The Henson

Local Taphouse

Lord Nelson

The Union

BEST COCKTAIL BAR

The Barber Shop

Bulletin Place

Eau de Vie

Palmer and Co

The Roosevelt

BEST NEIGHBOURHOOD BAR

121 BC

Anchor

Hinky Dinks

Vasco

Wild Rover

 

BEST NEW BAR

The Barber Shop

Earl’s Juke Joint

Lobo Plantation

Neighbourhood

Wild Rover

HOT TALENT

Mischa Bonova- Rockpool Bar & Grill

Jonathon Carr- Wild Rover

Matt Linklater- Bulletin Place

Michael Nouri- Vasco

Sebastian ‘Cosmo’ Soto, Baxter Inn

 

BEST WINE BAR

10 William Street

121 BC

Love Tilly Devine

Monopole

Wine Library

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Baxter Inn

Black by Ezard

Gardel’s Bar

Hazy Rose

Hinky Dinks

Lobo Plantation

Mojo Record Bar

Midnight Special

Palmer and Co

Wild Rover

Time Out Melbourne Bar Awards

Monday 25 November, 6.30-10.30pm

The Emerson, 143-145 Commercial Road, South Yarra

Tickets $50 (plus booking fee)

http://www.ticketpro.com.au/Time_Out/Melbourne_Bar_Awards_2014

 

Time Out Sydney Bar Awards

Sunday 1 December, 1-6pm

The Island Bar, Cockatoo Island

Tickets $50 (plus booking fee)

https://www.ticketpro.com.au/Time_Out/Sydney_Bar_Awards_2014   

For more information on Time Out Australia and the awards, visit www.au.timeout.com

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me….

Check out this for a fantastic Christmas gift idea.

24 little bottles of joy to celebrate your way through to Christmas, or hold back and drink yourself agog in an avalanche of Christmas cheer.

As for what is in the box, the premium whisky is not defined but given what they have available you should expect it to be quite the bundle of joy.

The standard whisky is choc full of non standard whiskies;  Yamazaki 12 Year Old, Grants 25 Year Old, Evan Williams Single Barrel, Mackmyra Brukswhisky, Bowmore 15 Year Old, Scapa 16 Year Old, Glencadam 21 Year Old, Blue Hanger 9th Release, Tomintoul 14 Year Old, Dalmore 18 Year Old, Auchentoshan Three Wood, Chivas Regal 18 Year Old, Yellow Spot 12 Year Old, Talisker Port Ruighe, Nikka Whisky From The Barrel, Balcones Texas Single Malt, Glen Garioch 12 Year Old, Johnnie Walker Platinum, Balvenie 17 Year Old Doublewood, Smooth Ambler 7 Year Old Bourbon, Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Distillery Edition, Balvenie Carribean Cask, The Glenlivet Nadurra and Glenfarclas 40 Year Old.

The craft gin packs in many you won’t have tried on these Australain shores; Masons Dry Yorkshire Gin, Smooth Ambler Greenbrier Gin, Saffron Gin, Herno Gin, Greenhook Ginsmiths Dry Gin, Two Birds London Dry Gin, Professor Cornelius Ampleforth’s Cask-Aged Gin Navy-Strength, Dr. J’s Dry Cambridgeshire Gin, City of London Dry Gin, Bathtub Gin, Langtons No.1 Gin, Cream Gin, Blackdown Sussex Dry Gin, Tarquin’s Handcrafted Cornish Gin, St. George Dry Rye Gin, Cold River Gin, Monkey 47 Dry Gin, FEW American Gin, Geranium London Dry Gin, Dorothy Parker – American Gin, Death’s Door Gin, Filliers Dry Gin 28, Sipsmith London Dry Gin and Breuckelen Glorious Gin

The standard gin box should ensure your mother’s ruin; Colonel Fox’s London Dry Gin, Tanqueray No. Ten, Sloane’s Dry Gin, Gin Mare, Perry’s Tot – Navy Strength Gin, Sacred Gin, Hendrick’s Gin, St. George Terroir Gin, Langley’s No.8 Distilled London Gin, Origin – Arezzo, Italy, Whitley Neill Handcrafted Dry Gin, Boxer Gin, Martin Miller’s, Citadelle Gin, Pinkster Gin, Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, Darnley’s View Gin, No.3 Gin, Warner Edwards Harrington Dry Gin, Junipero Gin, Dodd’s Gin (The London Distillery Company), Spirit of Hven Organic Gin, Zuidam Dutch Courage, Professor Cornelius Ampleforth’s Old Tom Gin,

Buy one for yourself at Masters of Malt. The premium whisky will set you back $421, the craft gin $185, the standard whisky $253 and the standard gin $168

Wild Turkey Forgiven

The latest expansion from Wild Turkey blends their two iconic styles, Bourbon and Rye American whiskies, into one quite near perfect drinking package.

An apparent accident, Forgiven came out of the accidental combination of 6 year old Bourbon (the youngest age in any of the Wild Turkey range) and 4 year old high proof Rye. The mash bill leans heavily (78% to 22%) toward the Bourbon, but the higher proof of the Rye, combined with its youthful vigour, delivers an extremely pleasant balance of creamy vanilla and oak at the opening and a spicy cloves and cinnamon at the close. Perfect on its own in a glass, or on a rock. Intoxicating in a Manhattan.

The liquid comes in a reappropriated Rare bottle, adding nice weight and a real premium feel.

It smells and tastes a lot like Christmas, and you could do worse than pick up one of the limited edition for around $90 to savour over the holidays.

Get amongst.

 

By Hook or by Crook, get to the Rook.

There a plenty of good cocktail bars in Sydney these days, so you really have to work hard to do something different without affecting the quality of the product you’re putting up.

I’ll tell you one thing though, the team at the Rook are doing it right. Jason Williams and Cristiano Beretta have put together a list of cracking drinks with a playful streak.

Drink them in with your eyes below.

The Calligraphy Cocktail. Genever forward and served with a quill so you can personalise your drink. Yes, I drew a cock and balls on mine.

Fear and Loathing. Mezcal, Cherries, Bats, Fuck. Garnished with a page torn from the novel folded into a paper plane.

Sloe Ringing Bell. Sloe Gin, Diamond Rye Belvedere, sugar, salt. A vodka drink for people who don’t order vodka drinks.
Werewolves of London. A twist on the corpse reviver, and the phone message is classic. Fill a drink bottle with it when you leave.

There were others. They were excellent. I’ll add them when I remember what they were.

I may have gone home with a helium balloon tied to my shirt.

Go there and drink the whole list.

 

Now.

 

2013 Bar Week Ahoy

Seriously, where has this fucking year gone?

It seems like about two seconds ago when Dave Spanton was talking about the changes to Bar Week this year and the shift away from an exhibition to an events schedule to engage consumers and trade.

You’re already too late for the workshops on the trade side, but there is still action to be had at parties, plus the Bartender Magazine Awards, which will feature the finals integrated into the dinner itself, which should be a hecklers dream as the trade degenerates over the course of the evening. http://www.barweek.com.au/#!parties/c1o5o

For those of you who sit in front of bars instread of working behind them, there are a bunch of options. Champagne tasting with paired nibbles at the Roosevelt, Malts at Eau de Vie, The Man vs Food Nacho Chili Challenge at the Cleveland and Woodford Reserve 5 course cocktail pairing menu at O Bar Dining. http://www.barweek.com.au/#!consumer-events/c207j

Less than two weeks to Bar Week people. Get involved.

www.barweek.com.au

Australia votes: The Guardians’ Chapter

Tuesday saw possibly the most perfect whisky event ever conceived play out upstairs at Tetsuya’s. More to come about whisky and food matching brilliance, but I wanted to talk about the most enjoyable vote taking place in Australia this September

The climax was the opportunity to taste and vote for the selection of the next limited edition release from the world second largest whisky brand by volume. 2,500 bottles will be brought to market based on the votes of the brand passionate around the world.

First up was the Revival. A light colour, the result of ex-Bourbon casks and I suspect the least time out of the three in the wood. Nose and palate are spectacular in their alignment, it’s all vanilla, honey and creme brulee. slightly all up front with less going on in the finish.

Second was the Classic. Closest in style to the Glenlivet you’re used to. A fair whack of time in Spanish and American oak delivers a bigger taste, cinnamon and dried fruits. This is the one that got my vote, a gorgeous well rounded liquid that was true to the brand but a welcome twist too.

Lucky last was the Exotic. Finishing in ex-Sherry butts gives this the sort of pleasant wonkiness you find in weeks old Christmas cake. Kind of incredible to smell, but I found it a little disappointing in the finish. This drop won the popular vote on the night. No word yet on the outcome after preferences are taken into account, but it was a margin of two in a room of forty.

Each of the expressions are bottled at a pleasantly hefty 48.7% abv and soften to open up with a few drops of water. Look out for it if you like your whisky of rare quality and full of story.

You can try these delicious whiskies too, by purchasing a ticket through Vintage Cellars

20th and 21st September – Sir Stamford Hotel, Sydney
22nd and 23rd September – The Woolshed, Melbourne
25th September – Port Office Hotel, Brisbane
26th September – Sosta Argentinian Kitchen, Adelaide
27th September- Grosvenor Hotel, Perth
1st October- Char Restaurant, Darwin

To get in on this sort of action in the future, you should sign up to be a Guardian. http://www.theglenlivet.com/guardians

Drinking makes you feel good.

Help this guy out, obviously punching above his weight.

Some days, it feels like all being a fan of premium booze and crackin’ cocktails is only really good at emptying your wallet and giving you hangovers.

Somewhat rarer are opportunities to drink with purpose.

This is one of those times.

This is a story about a boy doing something for the woman he loves.

This is a story about said woman doing something big, something special and something that in no small way will change the world

Let me steal Tim’s word’s as they’re more heartfelt than anything I could muster:

Linn, my wonderful partner is finishing her Degree in Applied Social Science. She is specializing in coaching Psychology and part of finishing her degree involves 250 Hours Work Placement in an organization. Linn would like to do her placement at a charity based in Uganda called Woman Of Purpose International. This charity works to provide a society where vulnerable girls and women are empowered to live to their full potential. Read more below:

http://www.thefortressuganda.blogspot.com.au/

Long story short, this costs money to go over there. Linn will not be paid for her work, nor will she be helped with her flights costs, accommodation, and food there. This is not a holiday for Linn. She is going to Uganda to live within the community of these women, support them, and help these mothers get back into society. These TEENAGE women have been cast out of there society, usually for the “crime” of merely falling pregnant. This organization works to help them look after their children educate them, and support them into returning to their society.

So what can you do?

Head along to Bulletin Place this Sunday, the 8th of September from 4-8pm. Part with (more than) a few bucks and drink some booze that has been donated by some great companies. It might be your chance to actually see Tim Philips making drinks at his bar as well. There will be donations, there will be puns, there will be cocktails AND its for a good cause, so you can send a facebook status update to all those smug fucks who flood your social medias with their Dry July posts because drinking and charity are much better together than they are apart.

If you can’t make it along to the event itself, you can still contribute here http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/wopi/75884

See you there.

 

 

Is your Dad a Gentleman?

Stuck for a gift for your old man or husband next week? You could do worse than a personally engraved bottle of Gentleman Jack.

There is a Facebook app over on the Australian page, you can buy a bottle and have it engraved with three lines of 18 characters each. https://www.facebook.com/JackDanielsAustralia/app_144680005735646?ref=ts

You’ve got till sunday, so get in while the getting is good.

World Class Final 2013 – Hype Reel

The Hype Reel. Notable for a gorgeous orange twist from our boy Luke Ashton, Spike Merchants hat and the rollof Tim Philips announcing the win of David Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrios of Spain.

Soooooooooooooooooooooo Influential

The top 100 most influential list has been released in anticipation of Sydney Bar Week.

You can view the full list here.

As always, surprised but proud to see my name on a list with so many talented and hospitable people.

 

Making drinks and not just getting a suntan

The winner has been announced, and it is not Luke Ashton. Making the top eight is a huge achievement and one he should be proud of, and Luke also was named winner on the Tapas challenge at the awards ceremony a few hours ago in Barcelona.

I can’t wait to hear from Luke about his experience and what his bar is going to look and feel like. I’m sure he’ll be buzzing after an epic few days on the Love Boat.

David Rios from Spain took out the overall title and I’ll write about him shortly.

Anyway, I’ve been chasing images of Luke actually making some drinks and I’ve finally got some. Enjoy.

This guy is yesterday’s news.

World Class 2013 is hours away from producing another World’s Best Bartender, and Australia waits with baited breath to hear if local-boy-done-good Luke Ashton will add the title to the lump sum he picked up for taking out the Antipodean leg of this years contest.

With all this anticipation flooding the internet, I felt it apt to pause for a moment and offer up a few words for a man who’s night can only end in the pangs of bitter disappointment.

Twelve months ago, Tim Philips was samba dancing with abandon as he assumed the title of World’s Best Bartender™ for his own.

Tonight that all comes to an end.

Sources close to Philips acknowledge a life where monthly first class travel, photo-bombing opportunities on Dutch grannies and intimate chats with Angus Winchester (albeit in front of camera and a studio audience) are no longer commonplace will be hard on the young man’s outspoken but impressionable psyche.

Expect to see a small shrine, with book display and honesty box for the fruits of his year (below) appearing at the venue very soon.

The book will be a memorial of the drinks of Tim Philips, hopefully a few puns too

In all seriousness, you could not find a funnier, more humble guy for this honour and the trappings that come with it. I for one am looking forward to him actually making me a drink at his bar.

Luke Ashton – Day 4 & 5 Photo Diary

fancy food, with fancy garnish

Finally, some photos have made it off the boat. This is everything that I could find Luke in.

Aborted high five attempt

Shaking hands with King Cocktail

Hugging it out

Celebration

Final 16 Announcement. Luke with Ivar de Lange of the Netherlands, Tsuyoshi Miyazaki of Japan and Mattia Pastori of Italy

July 7: Top 16 Elimination

Actually making a drink by the looks

Hard at work

Luke opposite David Rios from Spain in a tasting challenge

Ardbog

It’s peat and sweet. The 2013 Ardbeg special edition hit the lips of the faithful around the world last month.

Every year, the brand brings together the committee, a self selected group of Ardbeggians who love the brand and the chance to wear tweed. There are games and merch aplenty, but none of it feels forced. The food is hearty and plentiful and the whisky flows like water. It is one of the best brand experiences I’ve had in my life.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a bottle of this truly excellent drop. It has an unusual colour, what one might expect if you took wet peat from the bog and squeezed it. Clear, but from somewhere near where amber borders red.  On the nose the smoke is restrained but present, a more approachable but still definitive Islay experience. Salt and peppery spice in the mouth, lemons moving from tart juice to oily peel in a lingering finish, sweet all round with enough peat for the die-hards. I love it.

Make sure you join the committee for an invite to Ardbeg Day next year and a chance to sip away on the next committee release.

You can pick up a bottle of Ardbog from Dan’s for about $160

Luke Ashton is in the final eight

News from the Global Finals! The 8 bartenders through to the final round: USA, Japan, Switzerland, Norway, Spain, New Zealand, Puerto Rico & Australia.

Rejoice Australia! The British grip on glory is weakened.

Proof of Life from the Mediterranean Ghost Ship

If you’ve been trying to follow along the fun on the World Class cruise, you might have noticed updates are almost non-existent and photos, unless you’re talking Tim Philips eating jamon and sucking down cava, are rarer than hen’s teeth.

Apparently, despite having state of the art radar and electronics, fully automated blinds in the stately dining rooms, a luxuriant pool deck and space to conceal a Tanqueray speakeasy, the Azamara Journey has approximately zero internets.

It’s day 5, but these two photos are the only evidence aside form the group shot I posted earlier that Luke Ashton even made it on board ship.

For those of you not following Tim Philips on facebook, Luke made it through to the top 16, and tonight that number will be reduced in half again. It sounds like he’s doing great, so fingers crossed Australia, although if the last few days are anything to by, you’ll need to look out for Britain.

Got a cheeky five and a half grand handy?

 

It’s a blend and every drop predates Jamaican independence. Managaging a spirit for 50 Years in the heat of the Caribbean is not nearly as easy as it is in Scotland, and even there it’s touch and go with half your spirit given up as manna to heaven.

Only 800 bottles exist, 15 are headed for our shore. If you buy a bottle let me know and I’ll be sure to pop round with a basket of muffins. Dan Murphy’s will be flogging it online by the sounds.

Straight flowing on a boat on the deep blue sea

It’s World Class time again, and this time it’s on a boat flitting between 5 destinations around Europe. My only disappointment outside of not being on the boat myself, is that there isn’t a single nautical-themed pashmina afghan in sight. 44 bartneders are competing this year, including our very own Luke Ashton.

Tim Philips is there, sipping Johnnie Blue and giving interviews to hungover journalists and bloggers. News is a bit thin on the ground as yet, but the welcome drink of Talisker Storm, served by a guy who went through a storm in a boat named Talisker was a pretty cute brand integration, even if the Mediterranean sun was somewhat less evocative and somewhat more a juxtaposition.

I’ll be tracking down pics of Luke’s Drinks and news of his progress, as soon as someone starts returning my emails.

Follow the fun for yourself on facebook https://www.facebook.com/GlobalWorldClassFinals and Twitter https://twitter.com/WClassGlobal

Kilchoman Machir Bay

I’ve been meaning to write about this since it crossed my desk a couple weeks back.

I’ve been quite taken with the liquid, and as I’ve dug a little deeper, the story behind it is great too.

Kilchoman is a young distillery, built in 2005 by an established single cask bottler, Anthony Wills.

His idea was to take whisky back to its roots in Scottish farmhouses and by opening the first new distillery on Islay for 124 years, he’s done just that. Rockside Farm grows around 30% of the distillery’s grain, which is malted, peat dried and mashed on the property. The remaining grain comes from the maltings in Port Ellen, making this a truly 100% Islay expression.

Machir Bay is their standard bottling, and exists as a 2012 and 2013 vintage. The idea being to pick up fans and allow them to see the change in the spirit as it, along with the distillery itself gets older.

Aged for 4 or 5 years in ex-Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whisky, with the 4 year old barrels being finished for a month in Oloroso butts from Miguel Martin in Jerez. The whole process, from field to bottle, takes place at the farm which gives the liquid a delightful sense of place.

They’ve a touch over 3,000 cask maturing as we speak, and a annual production of 100,000 litres leaves them languishing near the bottom of the table in terms of output in today’s whisky world.

What you get is a delightfully smooth golden liquid that flows from the bottle like there is a hole in the bottom. There’s smoke on the nose, but it is more restrained than many of it’s island bretheren.

The peat is balanced with floral notes too. In your mouth there’s sweetness, spice and smoke, finishing out over a fair distance.

If it tastes this good as a 4-5 year old, I am looking forward to tasting it at 10, 12 and beyond.

The 2012 won a pile of awards, and the 2013 is getting better reviews, so expect to see it pick up medals to match it’s gorgeous colour as the year rolls on.

$144 from the World of Whisky in Sydney.

There is also a 10,000 bottle special edition called Loch Gorm that delivers a more smoky and medicinal side to this fledgling brand. Definitely one to look out for.

This Guy is World Class

He made great drinks, he won a hundred grand and in a few weeks time he’ll be on a mother fucking boat.

Huge congratulations to Luke Ashton on taking out the Australian finals of Diageo’s World Class tonight in Sydney. You can get a drink off him at Vasco on Cleveland St in Surry Hills, and soon at his new bar. Can’t wait!

Huge props as well to the Gourmantics, for this photo and many others, by far the fastest photo journalists in Sydney if not the world. I’ll write a feature on Luke’s dronks once the shots come through from the PR agency…

 

World Class food and cocktail pairings

Any of you fortunate enough not to be friends with a bartender who is taking part in Diageo’s World Class comp in any one of the feeder markets for the global extravaganza might have missed that things are getting down to the pointy end.

Australia is mid-way through choosing their winner, who travel to Europe for a cruise ship based experience of a lifetime.

Last night was the cocktail and food pairing part of the contest, with contestant drawing dishes from Black by Ezard at the Star here in Sydney.

I was judging team B, out of my culinary depth completely seated next to Adriano Zumbo and Diageo silvertongue and Crispin Glover lookalike, Scott Gross.

Each year the contest and the cocktails get better, here are two of my favourites

Trapped in that potato nest is a perfectly poached egg, and Queenslands Krystal Hart paired it with a Ketel One Citroen concoction featuring verjuice, truffle oil and a herb garden. While the chive garnish was a bit limp, it bought the dish to life.

The Ocean Trout had a lot going on, and the Ketel One Citroen, italian vermouth, cumquat and tonic. The nori and parsley garnish leapt out of the glass and took aim at the trout on the plate.

My pick was the Bulleit, Talisker and porcini pairing with the final dish, a MBS 9+ Wagyu Rumpcap. The toilet water appearance was overcome by the result of tasting food and drink together, great pairing.

As last year’s global winner, Tim Philips noted “there are nowhere near enough brown cocktails. ”

Tonight the contestants will run their own pop up bars at the Star, report to come tomorrow.