Who is in for SPIRIT OF TORONTO 2017?

really? no one?

I was thinking about it but If I win a few good bottles in the SAQ lottery, I will put my money on wonderful dram. That is always the dilemma that I have. Do I spend my whisky money on an event or on many bottles? That evening would be a $600 night for me, at least. I refuse to pay $200 or more for a whisky but I am considering buying something Special instead of going to the SOT.

So, is ANYONE GOING?

I shall be attending. I look forward to tasting some new releases before they are launched.

(it is rumored that @ Nozinan will be attending TWO Canadian Whisky Master Classes!)

@paddockjudge It's the company, I'm sure....

Besides, each year the offerings on the floor become less and less inviting.

Think I will be passing - had a conflict w a gala last year and did not feel like I missed something after the fact

Enjoying JW Green after working some OT...watching Washington and Toronto in OT, the fifth period of the game, but only my third JWG.

They are right in the middle of the 2017 Spirit of Toronto right now! Slainte!

@Victor report to follow... .

I was there last night. First time to a whiskey show. Some booths were better than others in terms of offerings. They only had the 12yo Old Pulteney for example, rather than the 12 and 17.
The Dalmore booth was pouring 12,15,18,cigar malt, and king Alexander III. It was great to try their whole range as I haven't bought a bottle considering they start at $100. Disappointed that not all booths offered up an 18 yo (glenlivet - I'm looking at you - no one cares about your Founders Reserve!). Balvenie poured a bottle of portwood 21, but I missed it. Did try the 14yo Caribbean Cask, which was good. Did get JW Blue, although I like the platinum better. Benromach 10 remains a tremendous value, especially when compared to much more expensive drams. The 15 is really nice as well. Tried Redbreast 12, which I found unexciting. They had Aberlour A'bunah 58, which was great. I have 47 at home, so it was interesting to try a variation.

Of the ryes I tried the Forty Creek Confederation Oak stood out.
Lots of bourbon their too. Eagle Rare was decent on they end.

Food was good for the type of event. One or two bite goodies. Steak in Yorkshire pudding cups were tasty.

I would go back again, with the hope that there would be different exhibitors. Being able to try a bunch of whiskies I have wanted to was the clear highlight for me. Islay was not well represented though. Only Bunnahbain and Bowmore. I was hoping Kilchoman would be there to try some of their range.

Overall a good experience. If you're a drinker you can get your money's worth for sure.

An enjoyable evening with good friends and good whisky.

I came away with some great information about current and pending Canadian releases. After what I sampled yesterday, I am looking forward to owning several brilliant releases. Autumn 2017 will be nothing short of stunning.

As promised, a report on last night's proceedings:

I was considering including this under "Epic Tastings", but I made the decision not to and I'll go into those reasons at the end.

The day started well, with @paddockjudge dropping by to split a bottle of Wiser's Union 52 (review to come once my liver has recovered).

The early Masterclass, Canadian Whisky Renaissance featured an interesting scientific explanation about what makes spirits taste the way they do. There were 8 expressions, 4 standard and 4 of the Northern Border Collection that will be released across Canada this fall (only 3900 bottles of each!). I was most impressed with the Lot 40 Cask Strength (review to follow), and would also get a bottle of the G&W 17 YO Little Trinity if I get the opportunity.

The floor was hit and miss. There were a few gems here and there, and I'm sure I missed some myself. For the most part the tables had standard offerings most of which I had little interest in. I think if you knew the pourer there was occasionally something special you could get.

There were 2 exceptional tables where I spend most of my time - Aside from these, the interesting things I tasted included:

1. Benromach 10 and 15 YO

2. 2016 Writer's Tears CS - much more flavourful than my 2012 version.

3. Black Cow Milk spirit (essentially a Vodka) made from the whey, and an accompanying cheddar cheese made from the curds. Interesting, I may buy the cheese, but not the spirit.

In contrast there was a table staffed by Igor of Scotch (and 2 others) and next to it one that continually poured interesting Canadian spirit, some bottled a very long time ago. I tasted 21 expressions from those 2 tables (out of 34 in total) and some of the most notable were:

1. Original Wiser's Red Letter.

2. Forty Creek John's Private Cask.

3. Glen Scotia 14 (or was it 12) YO bottled in the 1980s.

4. Cadenhead's 26 YO Cask Strength Canadian Corn Whisky.

5. Call Ila 9 YO CS IB (Igor's).

6. AP 25 and 30 - always a treat.

7. Daniel Bouju "Tres vieux" cognac.

I skipped the Forty Creek Masterclass because the rep told me the "special expression" advertised was "Evolution", my first bottle of which is still fairly full.

The After-Party was probably as good as anything (whisky-wise) obtainable at the festival. Thanks to @TAlexander for hosting. I got to try my first Paul John, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, and a beautiful Delord Armagnac that he brought out for us to sip.

The food was the same as it has been for the last 4 years. But I found the line ups longer than the past, probably because there was less interesting stuff to sample.

---

So why was this not an EPIC tasting? By volume it certainly meets the criteria. I tasted 50 spirits. Some of them were very special.

I would say that in the last 4 years the quality of the floor offerings at SOT has deteriorated. I don't think we should be going to a whisky festival to taste entry level spirits (Bunna 12, Glenlivet Founder's Reserve, etc.. Sure the Big companies had a few good items, but if you're paying $150 for a ticket you have a right to expect to taste a few things that are a bit more premium. And there should be enough bottles of those premium whiskies to ensure most if not all get a taste. Not that I wanted it, but JW Blue - bring a few. 2 years ago, 1 bottle of Yamasaki 18 caused a stampede!

I understand the idea of having some special bottles but everyone ought to have equal opportunity. At the Canada table (yes, I'm calling it out), preference was given to insiders. In particular an example of a Gand W bottling from ~1908. For me, it was to be opened "in about an hour". For a whisky insider he had already tasted it.

In another case, one of my friends had "access" to some Bowmore from Vault #1... because of that I got to taste it.

I'm a big fan of equal access, so I feel this detracted from the quality of the event.

Over time SOT has become more expensive, and the Masterclasses have become quite expensive as well. Sure, it sells out, but it is less value than in the past.

So, overall, I had a great time, but perhaps more "in spite of" the event, not necessarily because of it. I still think 2014 was the best one I've been to so far.

Hearing that insiders has access to bottles the rest of us didn't is enraging. Either you're offering people a taste or you're not.

We did split a bottle of Wiser's Union 52, @Nozinan and I. It sounds hard core, "split a bottle", but we did not consume it. We both enjoyed a small pour. I immediately recognized this whisky as Red Letter. Livermore confirmed this later in the day; sixteen year old Red Letter with 4% Highland whisky. A tip of the hat to the Wiser's team for pricing the 5 latest releases at somewhere less than unaffordable. Red letter is usually in the $100 - $115 range.

@paddockjudge Ah yes, reading it again it seems I did give the impression that we had a really good pre-party... well we did, but alcohol didn't figure as prominently...

@Nozinan, we more than made up for it in the hours following.

@Nozinan Wow, you tasted 50 whiskies? Even at 10ml each that's 500ml of booze. Were you spitting or swallowing? Just curious because I have never been to an event like that and I don't think I would get my money's worth because I just can't handle that much alcohol without a very big and nasty payback. Sounds like fun though.

jee whizz @BlueNote, don't pump him up; it took him nearly twelve hours to get through that line-up.

@BlueNote That's 50 expressions tasted, 49 from 5:15pm to 2am.

The smallest pour was 1 drop (though I got a taste from someone else). The largest pour would have been 15 cc, 20 tops. I did NOT finish each expression. I went with 1-2 sips for something "ok", and the only ones I would finish would be exceptional whiskies I was unlikely ever to taste again.

Even the expensive Wiser's 35 YO was left unfinished, as was the Lot 40 CS, my favourite of the series, which I did taste enough to jot down a review of...

I did feel a buzz a few times, and took a break. I don't like the feeling I get when I feel the effects of alcohol.

I also had a small dram on Th. and Friday, to help induce my liver enzymesso they would be ready for the onslaught.

And now for a recovery period...

@paddockjudge, @Nozinan. So that's how you do it. I'll keep those things in mind when I do attend a full on tasting session. I've only ever done small private ones with friends. Even then, my last dram is usually Pepto Bismal or Alka Seltzer. Cheers.