First Annual Advent Calendar 2020

First Annual Advent Calendar 2020

First Annual Advent Calendar 2020

The Saratoga Whiskey Club did its first ever Advent Calendar for 2020!! We had 48 Calendars in total go out to members and friends. Here is the list of whiskey that we have tasted so far. This is a blind calendar, so each day’s whiskey will be released at 9pm.

  1. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon C920 (Fall Release), 66.4% ABV
  2. Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake, 46% ABV
  3. Amrut Single Malt Indian Whisky – Cask Strength – 61.8% ABV
  4. Method and Madness Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey – Finished in French Chestnut – 46% ABV
  5. Arran Sherry Cask ‘The Bodega’ – 55.8% ABV
  6. Pinhook Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Store Pick from Gordon’s – 57.25% ABV
  7. Nikka Days – 40% ABV
  8. Penderyn Portwood Single Malt Welsh Whisky – 46% ABV
  9. Tomatin Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch – 57.5% ABV
  10. New Riff Single Barrel Rye – 57% ABV
  11. Talisker Port Ruighe Single Malt Scotch – 45.8% ABV
  12. Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (Inaugural Release) – 46% ABV
  13. Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon – Barrel Strength – Gordon’s Pick – 62.2% ABV
  14. Glenallachie 10 Year Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch – Batch 3 – 58.2% ABV
  15. Mars Maltage “Cosmo” Japanese Whisky – Blended Malt Whisky – 43% ABV
  16. Starward Australian Whisky – Single Cask Release – Astor – 55.8% ABV
  17. The Lakes Single Malt Whisky – The Whiskymaker’s Edition: Colheita – 52% ABV
  18. Glenfarclas 15 Year Single Malt Scotch – 46% ABV
  19. Waterford Rathclogh (a) & Dunmore (b) Single Malt Irish Whiskey – 50% ABV
  20. Maker’s Mark Private Select Bourbon – Bayway Store Pick – 54.3% ABV
  21. Edradour Caledonia 12 Year Single Malt Scotch – 46% ABV
  22. Smoke Wagon Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Private Barrel – Bayway Liquors – 58.76% ABV
  23. Barrel Craft Spirits Rye – Cask Strength – Batch 1 – 58.5% ABV

Stay tuned for each day’s announcement!

Tasting #28 Recap: Japanese Ramen Dinner & Whisky

Tasting #28 Recap: Japanese Ramen Dinner & Whisky

Tasting #28 Recap: Japanese Ramen Dinner & Whisky

On Wednesdays, February 6 & 13, the Saratoga Whiskey Club had two really fun evenings at Hamlet & Ghost in Saratoga Springs. The focus of the dinner and tasting was Japanese Whisky, many of it brought back from Japan during the Saratoga Whiskey Club Trip to Japan in November of 2018.

The evening started with a Sapporo beer and potstickers. This was follow by a full Ramen dinner course and 9 Japanese whiskies. Five of the 9 whiskies were brought from Japan. There were 38 members in attendance.

Here is a list of the whiskies we tasted:

  • Yamazaki 12 Year
  • Hakushu 12 Year
  • Hibiki Japanese Harmony Masters Select
  • Nikka Tsuru
  • Ichiro’s Malt Mizunara Wood Reserve
  • Mars Komagatake Limited Edition 2018
  • Akashi Eigashima White Oak Sake Cask 3 Year
  • Nikka From The Barrel
  • Kaiyo Cask Strength

For scores from the tasting, please go to Scores

Here are some photos from the evenings:

Tasting #26 Recap: Luxury Tasting

Tasting #26 Recap: Luxury Tasting

Tasting #26 Recap: Luxury Tasting

On Wednesday, December 5, the Saratoga Whiskey Club had its first higher-priced tasting that we named the Luxury Tasting. These were all bottles that we either purchased through auctions or were collected over the last year by the club. There were 16 members in attendance. This was the max number since we only had one bottle of each of the five bottles we tasted.

Here is a list of the whiskies we tasted:

  • Craigellachie 23 Year
  • Distiller’s Art Bunnahabhain 27 Year
  • Bruichladdich Private Single Cask 9 Year Sherry
  • Edradour Single Cask 14 Year
  • Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique

For scores from the tasting, please go to Scores.

It was a great first shot at a Luxury tasting and we can’t wait to do this again in 2019!

Cheers!

Tasting #10 Recap: World Whiskey Dinner

Tasting #10 Recap: World Whiskey Dinner

Tasting #10 Recap: World Whiskey Dinner

The Saratoga Whisk(e)y Club had Tasting #10 on Wednesday, September 13th, 2017. The focus of the evening was a World Whiskey Dinner where each whiskey was paired with a dish from that country. We had a large turnout of 35 people, both members and non-members. Five different whiskies were tasted, and the evening started with a Japanese cocktail.  Here is the dinner pairing:

  • We started with a Japanese highball using Mars Iwai Whiskey
  • Kavalan Ex-Bourbon Single Cask, Cask Strength – Taiwan
    • Paired with San Bei Ji Wings
  • Paul John Classic Single Malt Whiskey – India
    • Paired with Sweet Potato Pastry Spirals and Gujarati Wilted Cabbage Salad
  • Mackmyra First Edition – Sweden
    • Paired with Almost Famous Swedish Meatballs, Roasted Potatoes & Lingonberry Preserve
  • New Zealand Whiskey Co. 24 Year 1989 Bottling – New Zealand
    • Paired with Smoked Leg of Lamb with Asian Pear & Kiwi Salsa and a Carrot, Date, Mint & Seed Salad
  • Domain de Hautes Glaces Single Malt – France
    • Paired with Gateau Breton and a selection of French cheeses

Overall it was a wonderful evening of food and whiskey!

Please sign up for our quarterly newsletter if you are interested in learning about future tastings. Sometimes there are extra spaces available for non-members.

Here are some photos from the tasting.