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(Mostly) Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Posted on March 21, 2017

By Evan Eckersley

On March 17th, 2017 we had a Saint Patrick's Day Irish Whiskey Tasting here at the Kensington Wine Market. This year we focused on Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey.

[caption id="attachment_5158" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey"][/caption]

Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is a little bit different from Single Malt Whisky. Single Malt means two things: It comes from a single distillery and it is made from 100% malted barley. Single Pot still Irish Whiskey also means it comes from one distillery. If it does not come from one single distillery it can still carry the Pot Still Irish Whiskey designation.

Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey = Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey.

The name was changed due to an issue with US Alcohol, Tobacco and Trade Commission taking umbrage with the use of the word ‘pure’ and how they feel it pertains to food and drink. This led to the name change.

This style originated in Ireland as a way to get around the taxman. In 1785 the British instituted a ‘malt tax’. Necessity being the mother of invention - this led the Irish to use less malted barley in distillation - instead combining it with unmalted barley. This created a spicier, thicker style of whiskey while also allowing distillers to skirt the law and avoid much of the heavy malt taxes.

The other main difference between Irish and Scotch Whisky that most people bring up is that Irish Whiskey is triple distilled while the Scots only double distill their whisky. This is not a hard and fast rule, though. There are some Irish distilleries that distill two times and a handful of Scottish distilleries that distill three times.

For many years Irish Whiskey was the most imbibed whiskey around the globe - however many factors lead to its decline and near decimation in the 20th Century.

In the early 1920s the two main importers of Irish both essentially ceased drinking the once popular drink for different reasons:
- In 1920 the United States enacted its nationwide prohibition on the sale of alcohol.
- In 1922 the Irish Free State came into being and soon after the Anglo-Irish Trade war began. Tariffs on most Irish goods entering Britain kept the English from buying Irish Whiskey.
- The Great Depression in 1929 of course also did not do anything to help Irish Whiskey exports and sales.

The invention of the Continuous Still or Column Still also led to the rise of Blended Scotch Whisky made using lighter and easier to produce at mass quantity grain whisky as the main component. Blended Scotch took Irish Whiskey’s spot as the barrel aged libation of choice after the United States ended prohibition. The most popular continuous still - the Coffey Still - was actually created and patented by Irishman Aeneas Coffey. His own country’s dis...

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Into the Bottle - Wine Blends Tasting

Posted on April 3, 2017

On Tuesday, March 14th we hosted an introductory wine class focused on blends from around the world.  We tasted 8 different wines to get a really good idea of what there is to offer, with the majority of them being traditional blends except for one which is just one of my favourites and I wanted everyone to give it a try as well.  I had a great time and it was great to share these wines with such a fun group of people. I will go through the wines in the same order that we tasted them on the evening.



1. Laherte Les 7 Champagne, $112.99
I love starting a tasting off with some bubbles and what a better way to talk about blends than trying some of the most famous blended wine in the world: Champagne.  You can have bubbles from anywhere in the world but there is something magical and wonderful about Champagne.  This Champagne is blended with all of the 7 grape varieties that are permitted in the Champagne region.  This wine was made in a way to try and taste what Champagne might have tasted like 250 years ago.

The Champagne region can be very demanding for viticulture when you consider the climate.  The average temperature year round is 10 degrees and it can be very damp as well.  Due to this, they have found ways to produce amazing products from what they are able to grow.  When you have champagne it will generally be a blend of different grapes and it can also be a blend of wines from different vintages.  By making the wine this way they are able to produce a product that can taste similar year after year, without being as influenced by the vintage.  You can still find vintages sometimes if it is from a good year or if they are a producer who does like to do that.

This Champagne was absolutely delightful.  It was toasty with nice aromas of yeast, mineral, citrus, and exotic fruits.  On the palate, it had an amazing refreshing acidity, creamy tight bubbles, peach, apple, and pear flavours.  It was an amazing wine and always such a treat whenever I get the chance to taste it!  Definitely fantastic for a celebration or just any old reason to drink bubbles.

2. Viña Alicia, Tiara white, 2012, $38.99
So this was my pick that I really wanted to have in the tasting, just because.  This is one of the coolest wines that I get to try.  It is a random white wine from Argentina that is very interesting.  It is from Viña Alicia in the valley of Lujan de Cuyo in the Mendoza region.  It is a very high altitude winery at over 3,500 feet and thought to be one of the first wineries planted in Mendoza.  The blend of grapes that are used are 50% Riesling, 40% Albariño, and 10% Savagnin.  The reason I find this wine so interesting is because of the grapes.  Riesling is a German grape, Albariño is a typical grape from Spain, and Savagnin is normally from the Jura region in France.  However, they have come t...

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New Beer for the Week of March 15th, 2017

Posted on March 16, 2017

Hey everyone!

Hope you all survived the chill! It’s nice to see the warmer weather finally show it’s face again, though for how long? Better take advantage of this with some summery beers! Come and grab all the session ales!

It’s a small order this week! A few sours and a couple IPAs have been rounded up to feature on the shelf, along with a new keg I’ll mention in a minute. In the meantime, here’s what’s in store this week!



Thorny Horn Raspberry sour by Phillips brewing: Thorny Horn is a raspberry brown ale lacto fermented. Fruity with robust malt along with a big sour kick. Thorny Horn was the first sour beer Phillips ever brewed, and it's back! ($8.59 for a 650mL bottle)

Oud Bruin by Les Trois Mousquetaires: They make this Flanders brown inspired beer by blending a sour brown with a non-sour! Big notes of sour fruits and oak on a big caramelly brown ale. Big acidity comes across throughout the beer making it more sour than many true oud bruins! ($13.99 for a 750mL bottle)

IPA Project #1 by Collective Arts: This is the first in a series of IPAs being produced by Collective Arts. Nelson Sauvin, Simcoe and Citra are showcased in this tropical and floral, and super drinkable IPA.($4.09 for a 473mL can)

Oud Bruin by Wild Rose brewing: Mildly acetic with a rich malty base of chocolate and dark malt notes along with fruity berry tones and a zingy tartness throughout. ($12.29 for a 750mL bottle)

Radiant IPA by Hell’s Basement: Our favourite Medicine Hat brewers are back with this bright, tropical and floral IPA. Soft bready malts -which seem to be their style- give a nice and silky beer, with fruity hop notes all over, and a balanced bitterness on the end. ($16.99 for a 6-pack of cans)

So St. Patrick’s day is on its way, and I know what everyone will be coming in for… A pint of the black right? It pains me that so many need Guinness just for the sake of the holiday when there are so many stouts in Alberta that are soo sooo soooooo much better! Come visit me this Friday and I can personally show you each and every one. Not only that, but I have a keg of Irish red ale from Cold garden on the growler bar right now, growler fills of which will be on for 15% off all Friday until the keg is empty!

Once this keg is empty, on deck is a keg of Four Winds Apparition, their west coast white ale (White IPA) that is super citrusy, floral and overall delicious. You’re not going to want to miss it!

One more thought before I go. If you happen to be looking for something to do on Tuesday, March 28, I have 8 tickets left for my “Old school Vs. New” beer tasting. I’m going to take classic styles such as the Belgian tripel, IPA, and porter, and pit old brewers versus new brewers in a battle royale! $25 gets you tast...

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Budget Bubbles March 10, 2017

Posted on March 24, 2017

Nothing makes me happier that hearing the energetic "pop" of a bottle of sparkling wine freshly uncorked. For the purists reading, yes, I do know that you are not supposed to be hearing anything but a light stream of gas escaping the bottle. I just enjoy that sound so much that I am willing to take the risk of spilling a few drops of precious wine in exchange! After all, isn't it what bubbly is all about? Happiness! Nothing says "welcome home", or "congratulations", or "let's spend some time together" like a well chosen bottle of sparkling wine.

Even though Champagne (the name exclusively reserved for the sparkling wines produced in the region of Champagne, in France) is a delightful treat, it is not necessarily the best choice for every palate, occasion, or budgets. Considering that most of the Champagne on our Canadian market retail for over 50$ a bottle, we decided to build a fun Friday night tasting of alternatives to Champagne that sell for 30$ or under. But with over 80 different sparkling wines in the store, it was almost impossible to select only 7 wines! However I persevered and somehow managed to restrain myself and selected my 7 favourite wines from the old-world countries of Italy, France, and Spain.

My selection:



Fattori Ronca di Ronca Sparkling Brut $29.99
100% Durello
Veneto, Italy
Made from 100% Durella grapes (also called Durello), and a KWM exclusive, this terrific bubbly is the entry level for Fattori's (one of the Veneto's top producers of excellent regional wines) sparkling wine range. Look for a pale straw hue. On the nose you’ll find a hint of balsamic aromas leading into whiffs of yellow and green fruits. The overall sensation is exotic! The taste is bright and consistent with a lovely finish of green almonds and white flowers, with a briny character. This one is perfect as an aperitif and ideal with sushi.

Kuentz Crémant d’Alsace Brut $29.99
Pinot Gris & Pinot Blanc
Alsace, France
The Kuentz estate winery, another KWM exclusive, has been producing wine since 1680. Their vines are located in four different villages: Pfaffenheim, Gueberschwihr, Rouffach and Herrlisheim in the Alsace region of France. This extremely well priced cremant, the name given to sparkling wines made in Alsace, is made from a blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris and offers a fresh and vibrant taste making for a charming, sparkling quaffer. Its great price means you can find more everyday reasons to celebrate! Enjoy at brunch with a traditional quiche Lorraine. (Pssst... If you have a sweet tooth for brunch, I highly recommend to try the crémant rosé from this producer. Just a little bit over 30$, but absolutely gorgeous, bursting with red apple, strawberry and rose petal).

Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut $14.99
50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada, 15% Xarel-lo
Cava DOC, Spain
The Jaume ...

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Organic, Natural, and Biodynamic wines!

Posted on March 20, 2017

Organic, Natural, and Biodynamic wines!

On Tuesday, March 7th we had the opportunity to explore a new and interesting world of wines. It was all about Organic, Natural, and Biodynamic wines. There are lots of different opinions about Organic, Natural, and biodynamic methods surrounding wine and winemaking. This tasting allowed us to learn a bit more about these interpretations and processes as a group.

Let's begin organic wines. Making wine in an organic manner can be a great place to start when it comes to helping out the environment and have less harmful chemicals come in contact with your wine. That being said - when you find a wine that is labelled as organic that actually only refers to how the grapes were produced. This means that when they are in the field they must use only organic methods to grow and tend the grapes. Once the grapes are picked and being turned into wine the process can change and there are no extra regulations stipulating how they make the wine. There can be other additives put into it, use reverse osmosis, reduce water content, reduce alcohol content, etc. Due to this when you find organic labels from the USA, where they are a little more strict with labelling, they will only say on them that they were made with organic grapes.

After organic the next step is bio-dynamics. This is a system that was created by Austrian Rudolf Steiner in the 1920's, almost a full 20 years before organic farming was "created". Bio-dynamics is an organic form of farming but it also encompasses much more than that. In the Biodynamic system,  it is believed that everything in the entire universe is connected and gives off a resonance or "vibe". It is a very holistic view of agriculture. The biodynamic calendar is broken into 4 categories; Fruit days (harvest), Root days (pruning), Flower days (leave alone), and Leaf days (watering). There are also governing bodies that assure if a wine is done by biodynamic methods and the wine might be labelled if it is. In biodynamic wines, it is not possible to put any other chemicals or manufactured additions such as yeast. However, you do still have some options for working with the wine and using technology to help. With Biodynamics they say that you are able to get a wine that is more natural and has more region-specific flavours or more defined "terroir" character.

Finally, we come to natural wines. These are wines that use biodynamic methods for farming and then when it comes to making the wine they try to do as little as possible. They want minimal intervention, no addition or removal of products from the wine, and the goal is to get a wine that is exactly what the grapes give you. Unfortunately, there is no controlling body to make sure that when someone says they are producing natural wines that they are really doing that. This is a relatively "new" style of wine commercially but this is the way that wine has been made for thousands ...

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