Companies like to justify promotions and products with dubious links to current going-ons, so I’ve noticed. An example includes the hordes of businesses from whom I received an e-mail on the 29th of February this year (this being 2012, a leap year) offering an ever so clever 1-day-only discount of – you guessed it – 29%! Similarly, they like to highlight milestones of their own with special offerings, and the world of whisky is no different. There are plenty of anniversary expressions out there to celebrate various decades since the foundation of distilleries. In their cases, it’s a good thing. A very good thing – more choice (of whisky, enough with low-kcal butter already) to the people!
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I really like it when companies have the cojones to step outside of their comfortable wee boxes and do something new; I have even more respect for them when that involves a move away from an existing brand. The latter part may stem from my marketing experience and appreciation of how difficult brand creation is, so take my word for it when I say that it’s not all fun and games (though a lot of the time at least some of it is).
It is therefore a pleasure to be amongst the first in the world to share with you, dear reader, the creation of an exceedingly novel and highly exclusive new offering from a very well-known brand indeed: The Famous Grouse. I’ve known that this whisky was in the making for a wee while now but sworn to secrecy – as a matter of fact, and you probably won’t believe this, I had to go through a complete background check, which included TFG representatives interviewing my employer (past and present) and partner. That may sound over the top, but the whisky industry is highly competitive, and trade secrets are guarded closely.
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Having already reviewed Johnnie Walker Black Label (where you’ll also find a bit of distiller history) and Green Label, both of which are fairly well-priced whiskies, I thought it about time to check out one of their slightly more expensive blends – the Gold Label, ooh! Very fancy name indeed, but does the whisky live up to it? And more importantly, is it worth the extra £20 on top of the Green Label – or £30 on Black? Let’s find out.
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Hello whisky fans! How are we all doing today? I, for one, am doing very well indeed! Why so happy, you ask? Well, a little while back I received a few mini tasters from Master of Malt and I’ve just had one of them now – the 1991, 20 year old, Cragganmore – and it is Delicious! So delicious, in fact, that I’m going to order a bottle later on today. In all honesty, I couldn’t think of anything I would rather spend £49.95 on just now.
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The time during which the Edinburgh fringe festival is on – just under a month, for those of you who are unfamiliar with it, of non-stop madness (there are some 2,500 different shows, most of which run 6 days a week, and an endless number of visitors) – is both knackering and invigorating, fun and soul-destroying, not to mention ridden with borderline alcohol abuse for the vast majority of its visitors; residents included. Indeed, I have only experienced sleep paralysis (where you become ‘aware’ before your REM cycle has finished, thus you’re paralysed and hallucinate) twice and both times were during the festival – it can be caused by sleep deprivation and excessive alcohol consumption, you see, the two hallmarks of a good fringe festival.
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If you’re looking for a Christmassy whisky but don’t quite fancy Glenfarclas 15 – which is arguably the most Christmassy dram you will find – I’d recommend you keep reading, because Dailuaine 27 from Master of Malt is a good contender for the honourable title of Christmas Dram of the Year 2011 – which I just made up now, and for which, if I’m honest, there are currently no other runners. Don’t let the admittedly thin starting field fool you, though – Dailuaine 27 would put up one heck of a fight if it had to.
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