Two weeks ago, Sean Burke and I presented to a room full of eager undergraduates and young professionals alike on the topic "From Startup to Finish: Achieving Entrepreneurial Goals". The SFU Alumni Association did a great job curating a vibrant crowd, refreshments, and a great panel of presenters with Jill Earthy as the Moderator.

As the community of Wisemen and Wisewomen grow and do their best to #dogood and #bebetter, we were asked question about how the Whisky Wisemen has reached the level it is at and what are some of the habits Sean and I hold near and dear, allowing us to burn the midnight oil working to make the world a little bit better.

It was a refreshing experience that allowed us to touch on my fear of being a 'been brother' (coulda been, woulda been, shoulda been) and Sean's greatest strength, which is also his greatest weakness, stubbornness. 

You can view the whole interview at the link below.

Thanks again to the SFU Alumni Association and everyone who came to hear what the Whisky Wisemen are all about - there will be more to come!

Kevin

History:  Glen Garioch is one of the oldest operating distilleries in Scotland and its most easterly. Glen Garioch (pronounced Geery in the ancient Doric dialect still spoken in those parts) has been making its mighty malt in the quaint and historic market town of Oldmeldrum, near Aberdeen in North East Scotland ever since 1797.  Shielded from the world's prying eyes, deep in the fertile 'Granary of Aberdeenshire', and only ever produced in small, precious batches, Glen Garioch is a rare fine indeed, but warmly appreciated but those who like a hearty Highland malt, non chill filtered as nature intended. This 12 year old was released in 2010 and is matured in both American bourbon and Spanish sherry casks which give it loads of character as each stage of the marriage adds distinct characteristics to the final single malt.

Tasting Notes:  This Highland single malt is easy drinking and approachable, most suitably meant for sipping neat by a warm fire or at the end of a dock as the sun goes down.  Appearing the colour of a sharp honey tone, on the nose you first sense is a heathery floral note which is balanced nicely with the richness of pears and the sweetness of malted barley with a hint of oak.  On the palete you can taste a creme brulee-esque sweetness with other fruity flavours leading to a long, smooth and creamy finish.  This scotch really packs a punch and is fully fragrant for all of your senses.

Price: $57.99  

Wisemen Word: This was our first foray to the bottom of a Glen Garioch bottle and it did not disappoint and it definitely won't be our last. Bottled at a fiesty 48% ABV this whisky is a real charmer so try not to shy away from it too quickly as it may take some warming up to at first.  We found that adding a little drop of water can really open it up a bit more and provide some real depth to the complexity of flavours present in this exquisite bottle.  It always seems to end smooth and creamy which is a nice result for a whisky which such strong characteristics. Please enjoy responsibly. Slainte!

Check out our feature articles in the below publications that have gone out in support this year! We appreciate all of the love and encouragement our community and others have shown us as we continue to #dogood and #bebetter! 

TheManual.com - Feel Good Friday

ScoutMagazine.ca - Shebeen To Host the Whisky Wisemen Society

VanCityBuzz.com - Whisky Wisemen Present Third Thursday

Notable.ca - Canada's Newest and Most Important Business Trend: Social Philanthropy

DrinkDistiller.com - Donations and Drams

Gastown.org - Bettering the Community Through Whisky

Last months #thirdthursday was our 27th #socialwhisky event and we were joined by TWO special guests! Co-founder Paul Davidescu and his team at TANGOO, your pocket concierge, joined us to discuss their unique App that curates the perfect outing for you and your friends along with a chance to WIN a $100 Gift Card to one of Vancouver's best restaurants! https://tangoo.ca/app AND, Founder Jamie MacDonald of Co-Pilot Studios, makers of custom eye glasses crafted from old whisky barrels, http://www.copilotstudios.ca/

Thanks to everyone who came out and spread the Wisemen word.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the next #SocialWhisky.

Photos by The Glass Eye

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For those of you who do not know, earlier this year a new initiative was taken on to create a member-based club for the Whisky Wisemen Soceity. Club Wise, founded on the value systems of #DoGood #BeBetter, moved from concept to implementation launching in the early spring. The Club has created a member-base of over 30 young aspiring professionals all bound by multiple reasons but founded by one common love, whisky. All though whisky is the glue that brought us together (or the liquid), for Club Wise it is just the beginning.   

The Whisky Wisemen Society was created on the concept of bringing together like-minded individuals to be the force to make change. It is simple; we do not want to simply bring people together to have a drink but instead act as a catalyst to create social change. Club Wise was built on this same notion. With the ability to assemble over 30 bright young professionals, we have committed to creating change within our communities.  

With conversation come ideas. Often, one can find themselves surrounded by those who they automatically share space with. Meaning, you are immersed within your own industry and friend group. Club Wise has carefully curated a diverse group of young professionals who each bring a different element to the conversation.  

Actively, Club Wise has encouraged continual conversations centered on the betterment of community and the resources at hand to do so. Through this conversation, the intention is to create and opportunity for a small business owner, for example, to connect with the founder of a technology start-up. We have challenged the group to find at what point there is an intersection between the two and how that can be used to develop both personally and externally.  

Ultimately we have stride to make an investment in social and human capital to construct a mobilizing group of action takers. We have done this through providing a space for people who are enthusiastically seeking an opportunity for challenge.

Tip A Wee Dram is an annual whisky tasting fundraiser benefiting registered local cancer charities in British Columbia. Founded in 2010, and now entering its sixth year, the event has grown substantially into what local whisky lovers consider to be Vancouver’s springtime whisky festival. Tip A Wee Dram is organized and executed entirely by volunteers, contributing over $130,000 to charities such as the BC Cancer Foundation and the Callanish Society. 

Members from our board were invited in 2014 and again this year to volunteer and man a table of 'orphan' whiskies which did not have an ambassador to represent them. We poured Bushmills, Lismore, Eagle Rare and Kuch Nai whiskies to all of the event goers and got a chance to also share information about our humble not-for-profit organization as well.  

It was a fun night for everyone and something we will continue to look forward to in the coming years.  Basically just two great organizations partnering with one another and bringing together good whisky and good people all for a great cause! 

Slainte!

The World Whiskies Awards just took place, and the best whisky in the world isn’t from Scotland, but from Taiwan. Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique was named the best single malt in the world, boasting 57.5% ABV and produced by the King Car distillery in Taiwan. The winning whisky is made through maturing the malt whisky in American oak barrels that previously held white and red wines. Other winners included Taketsuru Pure Malt 17 Year Old from Japan for the world’s best blended malt, and Ireland’s Redbreast Pot Still 15 Year Old for best pot-still whisky. Check out the full list of winners at Bar Magazine’s website here, and let us know whether you’ll be trying some Kavalan.

This year's winner has lots of stewed fruits on the nose. There’s also aged Bourbon notes. Water brings out custard creams. Surprisingly smooth on the palate. The alcohol is very present. It’s like Bourbon infused milk chocolate.

Another nutty, meaty, savoury nose, with sweet notes in the backdrop. Very sweet pruney flavours initially on the palate, with fruit cake and big clove, chilli and dry cinnamon. Walnut and hazelnut on the very dry finish.

Immediately and subtly liquor rich. Tiny bit of incense, a thread of spice and smoke.

Caramel, marzipan, coffee-vanilla, fudge, rich, creamy, dried black fruits. Integrated and surprisingly light. Element of sandalwood. Starts creamy, waters out, almost disappears before rubbing hot brown sugar into the oesophagus. Tiny bitter trace.

CONTEST ALERT! WE NEED YOUR HELP!

The Whisky Wisemen present:

The 1st Annual QUEST for the BEST Whisky Bar in Vancouver, powered by our good friends at Tangoo

We've compiled and curated a list of the top 20 whisky spots in the city (see full list in footer below), and we need YOUR help to decide which is the best!

To help us choose the best whisky bar in Vancouver we are going to use the Tangoo App, your personal pocket concierge that you can download onto your phone. Follow the steps below to enter:

1. Download the free Tangoo App

2. Select “Whisky” as your experience category 

3. Try whisky at any of the 20 nominated places, and Upvote them if you would consider them great for whisky!

Each place you Upvote enters you to win a VIP invite to a private party hosted by the Whisky Wisemen and Tangoo, along with a free private educational class on Whisky, prior to the event, and a Glenmorangie survival kit, featuring 4 glasses, ice bucket, water dram and tongs ($150 value).

Contest entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. PST on April 5, 2015. One grand prize winner will be chosen at random and contacted through the platform they enter by.

For more information, visit the Vancity Buzz article here.

What is a Chivalry Chip? 

The latest movement by the Whisky Wisemen came from the need to make doing good tangible and accountable. Not accountable as though it is a must do, but rather a reminder, that someone went out of their way to do something kind for you and, hopefully, you find the time to do the same.

The idea sprouted from a desire to 'Pay it Forward' but needing a way to track, account or further inspire good deeds. With the Chivalry Chip - it's a 2" wide, clay poker chip that acts as an excellent reminder when floating in your pocket or purse. You can track all good created in the world with the #ChivalryChallenge, and having someone buy you a coffee or hold a door open is a fantastic source of inspiration to pass that feeling forward.

Let this movement be something you look forward to, let it rest with you and inspire the good that each of us has inside us, and let it help you be a better human and remember, #Dogood, #Bebetter, it's your turn.

Kevin

History: The blend was first produced in 1896 by Matthew Gloag & Son, a grocer by trade, and has been handed down through family over the years to eventually be owned by The Edrington Group. The Edrington Group, in no small part due to the success of The Famous Grouse, has grown to be the most profitable privately held company in Scotland. The Number 1 Selling Blended Scotch Whisky in Scotland and the UK does not disappoint. The blend includes spirit from some of the most notable brands in the Single Malt world including The Macallan and Highland Park, both of which are also owned by the Edrington Group. 

Tasting Notes:  The blend is easy drinking and approachable, meant for both sipping neat and adding to your favourite cocktail or mix. The broad appeal and volume price point have been part of the secret of its success. The undeniably scotch flavour is nicely peated but not overpoweringly so and includes sweet notes of toffee, fragrant flowers, apples and a refreshing touch of citrus. The finish is unexpectedly long, warm and enjoyable. 

Price: $29.99. No joke. 

Wisemen Word: Up to this point in the evolution of our collective WW pallets we have been relatively committed to single malts. However, as @danvolway pointed out at the #BlendsomefamousVan event we attended last week, the Master Distillers of blends such as Famous Grouse are the real rockstars of the Scotch world (with the salaries to match their status). The skills and ability to navigate subtle complexities in tasting notes required to deliver a truly historic and consistent blend are heavily sought after over and above the distillers of most Single Malts. With this knowledge, and a neat pouring of 'The Grouse', our interest has been peaked and we are eager to explore the immense and diverse world of blends around the world.  Please enjoy the full flavour of this beautiful scotch responsibly.  Slainte. 

Last Friday, a few of the Wisemen were invited to attend the 1st annual Explore Your Senses event hosted by the Vancouver Club. There, we landed in France, Scotland, Ireland, USA, and Canada to taste the history of each land through their take on whisky. All proceeds were in support of the Whisky Wisemen Society of Vancouver, supporting local charities in need. Special thanks to Jason Ho at Pure White Studio for the amazing shots of the evening! Slainte!

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In the spirit of ‪Pink Shirt Day we thought we would help spread the word in our own unique way.

#PinkItForward

Today we showcase Adnams Triple Grain Whisky. Made from East Anglian barley, wheat and oats, it’s a bold, dark chocolate-scented whisky with notes of toasted oak, pepper and orange peel. From just 10 new American oak barrels, the whisky was bottled in November 2013 and sold out everywhere. This bright, vibrant coloured whisky reflects the contemporary approach that Jonathan Adnams and John McCarthy *head distiller, have to making spirits'.

‪Tasting Notes: A serious, complex nose with spices, toasted oak, citrus fruit and sweet honey. The palate takes you through sumptuous chocolate and exploding spices, before a long, satisfying finish. 

When is the next release?

When they set up the distillery three years ago, they made just ten barrels of whisky. Stocks are therefore limited and likely to sell out quickly. However, the second release is currently ageing quietly in barrels, and will be ready in the spring of 2015.

History: A malt whisky of unmistakable honey-rich maturity and depth. Glenlivet 18yo is the winner of two Gold medals in the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) and remains one of the best-value expressions of sherried Speyside.

Famously the first legal Scottish distillery in Speyside after owner George Smith took the brave step of applying for the first license to distil following the Excise Act of 1823, Glenlivet became so synonymous with the best quality that the company was forced to take legal action in the 1880s to prevent its rivals passing off their own wares as 'the Real Stuff'. Despite the Smith family winning the exclusive right for their product to be known as 'The' Glenlivet, dozens of other distilleries persisted with the usage of the Glenlivet suffix (eg Macallan-Glenlivet) for decades afterwards.

Although the distillery's standard 12yo epitomises the kind of soft, smooth, lighter style of Speyside malts beloved of so many whisky fans, Glenlivet's spirit has also proven itself to be more than capable of withstanding long years of wood-ageing. The ongoing Cellar Collection was created to showcase some of the superb older malts in the distillery's archives, and some extremely old sherried vintages going back to the 1930s have been bottled by Gordon & Macphail.

Tasting Notes: The nose is quite big and well-rounded. There are notes of chewy sultanas and sherried peels, barley sugars and toasty cereals with petals and apple blossom. A touch of fudge and gentle wisps of smoke. The palate is full and rich with notes of chewy, tannic oak. Manuka honey and walnut with Cox’s apples and orange peels. Cut herbs; fennel and spearmint. The finish is long and dry with a spicy oak note.

Price: $99.99

Wisemen Word: Glenlivet 18 is a pleasure to drink in every sense of the word, lovely light fruity aromas with a nice dash of vanilla on the aroma and on the palate and immensely smooth. goes down your throat like water. an absolutely terrific scotch that after being sampled, should only be broken out on special occasions. 9 out of 10 from me.

Aberlour recently unveiled a Wood Essence Whisky Box. An handmade creation made of wood and leather with great elegance. containing four bottles, this box is inspired by the hunter bag. This limited box of 15 copies of a value of $4,000 is to discover through a series of visual and a video explaining its creation.

John Walker & Sons announces the second annual release of a collector's edition to commemorate the thousands-year-old celebration of the Lunar New Year. Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Ram is available for purchase now, in a limited release, at retailers across the country for adult consumers to enjoy responsibly.

This special edition marries traditional Chinese ceramic artistry with one of the brand's rarest and most luxurious expressions of the art of blending. Every detail is deliberate and takes into account the iconic bottle design. When four bottles with their signature Johnnie Walker slanted labels are placed side by side, a single image unfolds— like a magnificent Chinese scroll painting.

The ram's associations with good fortune, beauty and a determination to reach new heights inspired the design. The artwork illustrates three rams standing in distinguished positions, a traditional reference to the Book of Changes signifying a New Year of great fortune. 

"The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Ram bottle weaves the best of Chinese ceramic art with our very finest blended Scotch whisky," said Brian Cox, Director of Scotch Whisky for Diageo North America. "The Lunar Year is an incredibly exciting and significant holiday in the Chinese tradition. We are proud to honor it with our finest blend—Johnnie Walker Blue Label—so that people can enjoy the Lunar New Year responsibly and with quality."  

This year's symbol—with its unrelenting persistence—has particular significance for the Johnnie Walker brand.  For more than 200 years, Johnnie Walker has been a pioneer in the industry and seeks to inspire others to see the power of the next step in their personal journeys.

A 750ml bottle of the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Ram Special Release retails for US$258

What’s in my Well

 A good question, right? As we go further down the whisky rabbit hole I find getting lost in the wonder that is can be easy – so many brands, so many flavours, so much variety, but the question remains, what’s in your well?

For me, I have a hearty bottle of Chivas Regal 12 yr decanted and on the start line.

History: Chivas Regal is a company that has roots dating back to 1801 but it wasn’t until 50 years later that the Chivas brothers started making whisky. The 12 year old didn’t make it’s way to the market until post-US Prohibition and earned the name “the blend for grown ups”.

Tasting Notes: This is a full-bodied whisky and that is part of why it’s my well whisky. It is creamy and thick with hints of banana and caramel paired with spice.  It rolls across your tongue with notes of nuts and wood and finishes with more spice in the form of pepper.

Price: $55.99 

Wisemen Word: This is my well whisky as I find it to be how many newcomers to whisky would imagine how whisky ‘should’ taste. It is a full, complex blend that, in my opinion, doesn’t get enough credit. Please enjoy responsibly.

Posted By: Kevin Shaw

Impressing your significant other doesn’t have to be hard or cost too much money this Valentines Day. A nice handcrafted cocktail can help set the mood for romance or put a nice cap on the evening. Here are a few easy and romantic drinks that you can easily make at home without breaking the bank.

Rob Roy Cocktail 

Rob Roy MacGregor was the George Clooney of early 18th century Scotland. He had style, he had taste. Guys admired his outlaw ways and he drove the ladies wild. The Rob Roy is much like a Manhattan but calls for blended Scotch instead of Rye.

- Cracked ice, for cocktail shaker
- 2 ounces Blended Scotch
- 1 ounce vermouth
- Dash of Angostura bitters
- Garnish: Lemon twist

The Vieux Carré

Is pure Old New Orleans and was invented at the city’s famed Carousel Bar. This cognac and rye whiskey cocktail packs a powerful punch and is delightfully complex.

.75 oz Rye whiskey
.75 oz Cognac
.75 oz Noilly Prat Rouge Vermouth
1 tsp Bénédictine
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Between The Sheets

This provocatively-named cocktail dates back to Prohibition and amps up the classic Sidecar formula with an extra glug of rum. Don’t turn your back on the Between the Sheets—it may seem charming at first sip, but its double dose of spirits can easily sneak up on you.

- 1 oz Blended Scotch
- 1 oz Triple sec
- 1 oz Light rum
- .25 oz Fresh lemon juice
- Garnish: Flamed orange peel

Bourbon Old Fashioned 

It’s been said that the original cocktail contains sugar, bitters, whiskey and water. This variation, made by cocktail legend Dale Degroff, adds muddled fruit and soda water for a lighter, fruitier taste.

• 4 dashes Angostura Bitters
• 1 tsp Sugar (or 2 sugar cubes)
• 1 Orange wheel
• 1 Maraschino cherry
• 1 splash Club soda
• 2 oz Bourbon

History: Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey is traditionally made from a mash comprised of both malted and unmalted barley which is distilled in a pot still. This style of whiskey was apparently produced as a reaction to British taxes on malted whiskey which were introduced in 1802. To reduce the taxable amount on their whisky, Irish distillers began to add more unmalted barley into the distillation. The result was what we have come to know as Irish Pure Pot Still Whisky. Writers Tears Pot Still Irish Whisky contains both Single Malt Whiskey and the aforementioned Pure Pot Still Whiskey in its construction. As is the tradition in Ireland, the whiskey is triple distilled and matured in American Oak bourbon barrels.  Writers Tears pays homage to the long history and tradition of Ireland’s rich culture of exceptional authors.  Many sought comfort and inspiration from ‘The Water of Life’ and it was said that when an Irish writer cried, he cried tears of Whiskey. Gift or a curse? Now if that isn’t a great brand story, we don’t know what is!

Tasting Notes: This lighter coloured whiskey starts soft and sweet with thick honey coming forward followed by hints of citrus on the nose.  Honey develops on the palate with mellow notes of vanilla, apple, caramel and a hint of oak.  The finish on this delightful golden liquid is warm, sweet and long. Overall, it is very smooth without much burn. Just what you want out of this everyday easy drinking whiskey.

Price: $63.99

Wisemen Word: For those just discovering whiskey or those making their first foray into Irish blends this bottle is for all of us that enjoy an easy going but flavourful whiskey that doesn’t break the bank.  This unique bottle was also rated 93 points in the Whisky Bible giving you confidence you are getting great value.  Definitely a good choice to gift to the boss over the holidays if you’re aiming to make that promotion at work this year. Thank us later. Please enjoy responsibly.  Slainte

History: The Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Co. was created in early 2014 to locate forgotten barrels of whiskey from around the world and share them with whiskey lovers everywhere. That’s right, just like loving parents to an orphan child taking them in off the street and giving them a home, this creative initiative rescues lost whisky ‘orphans’ and gives them purpose again. So far the distillery has released four different variants of its growing orphan family: Barterhouse 20-Year-Old, Old Blowhard 26-Year-Old, Rhetoric 20-Year-Old and now this gem, Lost Prophet 22-Year-Old.  Lost Prophet stocks were found in the Stitzel-Weller warehouses in Louisville, Kentucky., and distilled in 1991 in Frankfort, Kentucky. Lost Prophet, like the rest of the Orphan Barrel releases so far, was hand bottled in Tullahoma, Tennesse. Lost Prophet will be a one-time release, as was the case with Old Blowhard, a 26-Year-Old Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey previously released by Orphan Barrel so if you have the chance to get your hands on a bottle you will only be one of a few. The Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Co’s objective is to search for new and interesting whiskeys and as they are discovered, they will be added to the family to provide bourbon lovers a great selection of rare whiskeys.

Tasting Notes: This 22-Year-Old bourbon begins with a nose hinting of honey, dried fruit, apricot and clove. Lost Prophet has a silky, full bodied taste of spice cake, vanilla and leather, with a sweet, smoky finish. Oooooo smooooth!

Price: $129.99

Wisemen Word: With interest in America's native spirit at an all-time high, aged bourbons have captured the imaginations of whiskey enthusiasts everywhere.  Learning about older whiskeys can be a window into the past and a uniquely fascinating sipping experience for old or new whisky drinkers.  This unique bourbon is a definite must try and a special addition to any aficionado’s collection for home.  We highly recommend trying this, or maybe not since there will only be a limited supply!  Tuck this bottle away for a special occasion and tell the story of how you rescued an orphan barrel of whiskey to the grandkids. Please enjoy responsibly.  Slainte

History: Now most of us are no strangers to this iconic whisky brand from the Great White North.  From their purple velvet bags to their classic bottle design, Crown Royal is the premium Canadian Whisky that we've all come to know and love. Over the past couple years, we appear to be in the midst of another flavored whiskey storm with various brands continuing to release new products enhanced with unique flavours.  First a whisky enhanced with maple for the Canadian distiller, and now this winter, Regal Apple arrives on shelves with appropriately toned packaging.  Crown touts this rendition as a combination of their traditional whiskey and "Regal Gala Apples." It is a unique blend resulting in the perfect balance of robust whiskey notes and crisp apple flavor. The apple extension is a great option for those fun-loving whisky drinkers looking for a high-quality flavored offering from a brand with a history of fine whisky making. 

Tasting Notes: On the nose is an immediate blast of apple. The entry for Crown Royal Regal Apple is very sweet with the strong apple from the nose. As we get to the mid palate there’s a building level of spice, including cinnamon, clove, vanilla and oak, that tries to balance and counterpoint the apple. It is definitely sweet on the lips but quite refreshing too.

Price: $29.99

Wisemen Word: If you are a fan of Crown Royal, you are going to go tart about the new flavor. Not tart as in angry, but their new flavor, Crown Royal Regal Apple is perfect for those who love the original whiskey, but want something different. Regal Apple stands as a combination of Crown Royal flavors and a blend of natural apple making the second flavored offering after Crown Royal Maple. Did we mention this goes great in a cocktail or simply neat sitting by the fire place over the holidays? Don't forget your slippers. Please enjoy responsibly. Slainte