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SPIRITUAL GUIDE A guide for spiritual enlightenment by the pious team at Glengarry. Join us monthly as we explore everything spirit related.
5/26/2020
THE FIRST EVER DIGITAL ARDBEG DAY
Welcome to the New World! The first ever digital Ardbeg Day is upon us this Saturday, the 30th of May. While there is a virtual event going on in Scotland, the timing is such that we will have already opened and enjoyed our bottles by then. Yes, that’s right; we’re ahead of the curve as always, down at the leading edge of the world. In fact, it’s even more momentous than that: not only is this a digital world first, it’s also the very first time in Ardbeg’s history they have rounded up Pinot Noir casks from New Zealand! The Ardbeg Blaaack, is what it’s called. You malty aficionados must be beside yourselves! Well straighten up and pay attention, as this is where we tell you how Ardbeg Day will work from within Auckland’s one and only Ardbeg Embassy:
1. At 5:00pm this coming Saturday, within the hallowed walls of the Ardbeg Embassy, we will be opening our Limited Edition bottle of Ardbeg Blaaack and a bottle of the Ardbeg 10-Year-Old and sharing our assessment of the Blaaack and comparison of the two via an Instagram live tasting. We will be joined by a guest from Ardbeg. We’re inviting you, as well, to join us at 5:00pm, from the comfort of your own home, where you’ll be conducting your own Ardbeg Blaaack tasting in tandem with our own. 2. Bottles of the Blaaack go on sale online this Saturday, the 30th of May, for the first time ever. And being in the NZ time zone that means for the first time anywhere! 3. On Saturday the 30th, we will be conducting a same-day delivery service in Auckland between 9:00am and 4:00pm. What this means: we have eight hours and five vans.These two factors plus the number of orders we receive will define what constitutes the Auckland area. Deliveries finish at 4:00pm, so the cut-off for getting your order to us will be 2:00pm. Getting in early with your order sounds like a very good idea to us. 4. We are offering a special bundle deal of the Limited Edition Ardbeg Blaaack and the Ardbeg 10Year-Old. Why? Because as we compare the two during our live tasting, we’d like you to be able to do it along with us.
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So, get ready, dress up your tasting space in its finest Ardbeg Day attire (along with yourselves) and join us at 5:00pm on Saturday May 30th for a live Ardbeg Blaaack tasting. Send us photos of your kitted-out tasting space by tagging us as you post them on Instagram. The best photo will win an Ardbeg prize pack. Read More...
Ardbeg Blaaack
Limited Edition 2020 Release (700ml) Ardbeg Blaaack is the feisty Limited Edition bottled in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Ardbeg Committee, founded in the year 2000. To mark such a momentous occasion, the Distillery vowed that the casks used to honour their global flock would be right on the nose. For the first time in Ardbeg’s history, they’ve rounded up Pinot Noir casks from the country that lies the furthest distance from Islay: New Zealand, that other remote island nation where sheep have been known to outnumber the locals by 7:1. Ardbeg Blaaack knits together velvety summer fruit pudding and bitter cherry, with a deeper edge of soot and Ardbeg’s hallmark smoke. But don’t take our word for it – get your own bottle and join us!
BE SURE TO SET A REMINDER FOR SATURDAY 30TH MAY
5/26/2020
HIGHLAND QUEEN
Established in 1893 and founded by Roderick Macdonald, Macdonald & Muir Ltd spent 10 years developing blended whisky before releasing Highland Queen. They acquired a substantial share of the Glenmorangie distillery, which became the base for their flagship blended scotch. Towards the end of the 20th century the brand changed ownership and found a home at the Tullibardine distillery in the Scottish Highlands. In recent times they have expanded their range, with different aged blends demonstrating the influence of time on the maturation process. The premium blended whiskies are smaller releases marrying the perfect blend of some of Highland Queen’s best barrels, while the single malt range demonstrates the purest expression of Highland Queen, the backbone to all of their blends.
The name Highland Queen references the legendary return in 1561 of Mary Stuart, aka Mary Queen of Scots, to the Port of Leith, the original production site of Highland Queen Whisky. Mary was married at a young age to the French Dauphin, who died prematurely. Upon returning to Scotland she married her cousin, an arrangement that didn’t last long after she was accused of having an affair, with her alleged muse subsequently executed. Later on she was convicted of treason by her own sister. Whatever side of history you side with, we can all agree the Highland Queen herself probably could have used a few stiff drinks.
Today the Highland Queen whisky’s noble values, sense of history and independent spirit
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permeates throughout everything they do. Master distillers and blenders with a deep understanding of tradition, they are well worth having in your cabinet. Read More...
- T.M
SCHLOSS GERMANY’S BARONS OF SMALL-BATCH
Near the city of Mainz in Germany, the Bischofsberg mountain has a winemaking pedigree going back to the Dark Ages. This tradition became firmly entrenched in 1100, when Benedictine monks identified the site as being superb for vine growing and built a
The 35 hectares of vineyard stand around the castle still, and produce some of the world’s greatest Riesling in a range of styles. Not all that grows on the grounds of Schloss Johannisberg are grapes however, with the south facing
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monastery on the mountain. This abbey was dedicated to John the Baptist, which in turn led to the hill on which it stood becoming known as Johannisberg (John’s Mountain). The monastery stood for nearly four hundred years before being destroyed in the German Peasants’ War of 1525. A baroque palace was later built here in 1716, before changing hands several times due to economic and Napoleonic upheaval. Vineyards of Riesling were planted around in 1720 – making it the oldest such vineyard in the world. The palace was partially destroyed in the bombing of Mainz in 1942, then subsequently rebuilt, and has stood there since under the name of Schloss Johannisberg.
All of this to say, of course, that Schloss Johannisberg is a site very long in history and winemaking tradition. In the bowels of the castle another treasure was recently unearthed – the 1805 records of cellar master Odo Staab. These included a recipe for juniper water and bitter orange liqueur, which have been used as the inspiration for a new artisanal gin.
slopes looking out over the Rhine also home to a diverse garden.
It’s from this garden that the dried peels of bitter oranges are sourced, and it is from these that the defining character of the Schloss Gin is distilled. Together with hints of lavender, lemongrass and juniper the gin is as rich in flavour as it is in history, savoury but deliciously fresh. The Schloss is only made in small batches, making us very lucky to be able to have it here in New Zealand! Read More...
- D.L
5/26/2020
TOSTI APERITIVO ITALIANO
You may be labouring under the impression that Tosti are producers of good prosecco and asti at bargain prices. And you’d be right. However, there’s a whole lot more going on. Aperitivos, for instance. Tosti is based in Canelli, in the heart of the DOCG-classified area for the Moscato Bianco grape, officially recognised as a world heritage site by UNESCO.
The Tosti company has been run by the Bosca family for seven generations. They have been producing still and sparkling wines since 1820 and undertaking grape harvests for almost 200 years. Their heritage consists of a serious winemaking tradition and culture, along with a wealth of experience and a deep understanding
One of the most precious elements of the Tosti heritage are the 500 families of suppliers who passionately cultivate 650 hectares of vineyards, averaging just over one hectare of land per family of hand-harvested grapes. In the early 1800s the Bosca family began liaising with the local herbalist. They worked from an ancient recipe that involved Moscato wine flavoured with more than 30 different herbs and spices, arriving at a unique and special elixir that was handed down from generation to generation. The Vermouths di Torino are sophisticated, ethereal, aromatised wines that can be imbibed on the rocks or to add an elegant touch to any cocktail.
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of their Canelli terrain. Giovanni Bosca and Mariacristina Castelletta are the seventh generation at the helm.
The Cardamaro is the only Italian amaro based on wine and Nizza Monferrato Cardoon, a key ingredient in traditional Piedmontese cuisine. It offers a delicious balance between the sweet note and the bitter quality of some of the herbs. Beautifully complex, with a lingering spicy finish. Read More...
- G.G
COCKTAILS AT HOME
FRENCH 75 Welcome to #cocktailsathome with Glengarry Wines. This episode, we take you through how to make a French 75 in the comfort of your home. Ingredients Scapegrace Black MOM Lemon Juice MOM Sugar Syrup DeBortoli Prosecco Method 1. Place 20ml Scapegrace Black, 10ml MOM Lemon Juice, 5ml MOM Sugar Syrup, and
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90ml DeBortoli Prosecco into your serving glass (apart from the mixer). 2. Fill the glass with ice and then top with the mixer. Stir. Read more...
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SPIRIT TASTINGS
LIVE TASTING | GIN WITH LIZ Join Liz as she takes us through a live tasting of exciting new Gin arrivals and match them with East Imperial tonics. This session we will be tasting; Fords Gin, Schloss Gin, and Wheadons Gin. Read more...
WHEN: Thursday 28 May WHERE: Live Online on Instagram TIME: 6.00pm
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That's it for this month's Spiritual Guide. Issue Twenty-Five will be coming your way next month with more guidance through the spiritual world. Cheers,