NEW RELEASES WILL BE ONLINE AT MIDDAY AEST, FRIDAY 1ST JULY
Outturn Drop-in: Friday 1 July Issue 06, 2022
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Dive straight in, enjoy the whisky swirl and winter feel-good flavours.
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Contents Tradition vs Innovation Matt Bailey........................................................................................ 3 Changing Choices Andrew Derbidge.......................................................................... 4
Jerry Thomas and the Blue Blazer Gavin D Smith.............................................................................. 22
OUR BOTTLINGS YOUNG & SPRITELY
SPICY & DRY
Cask No. 52.40 Seaside ceviche............................................................................... 9
Cask No. 140.4 Throws you curve balls .......................................................... 10
JUICY, OAK & VANILLA
SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW Cask No. 128.15 As mad as a box of frogs! . ....................................................
17
Cask No. 35.289 (Malt of the Month) Sparkling pear cider .................................................................. 6
Cask No. 112.91 Lowland ghosts
17
Cask No. 6.50 By this great clatter .................................................................. 10
. ........................................................................
SPICY & SWEET Cask No. 96.32 Sunshiny shimmer of satisfaction ..................................... 9 Cask No. 105.35 Genuine Italian fake. ................................................................ 21
DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS Cask No. 64.123 Red alert........................................................................................... 13 Cask No. 30.120 Uncompromisingly honest .................................................. 13
YOUR SOCIETY 2
LIGHTLY PEATED Cask No. 4.289 Orkney ghee .................................................................................. 18
PEATED Cask No. 29.280 Atlantic spray and bonfire sparks .................................. 18
RUM Cask No. R11.14 Hot shots ......................................................................................... 21
An Evening with John McCheyne............................... 14 Events in your state.............................................................. 14 Winter Wonders Virtual Tasting.................................. 15
AMBASSADOR’S ADDRESS
Tradition Innovation
I
’ve been thinking lately about the struggle between the old ways of doing things, and the new ways. There was an Australian “whisky” recently released that made some minor waves on social media, but for all the wrong reasons. It was a 21 DAY old, red gum matured, sonically-aged, spirit drink. Some people called it out saying it’s not technically a whisky (which is true) and others said they enjoy the taste and don’t care what it’s called. This made me think of that eternal struggle between innovation and tradition. Over in Scotland, we often like to romanticise distilleries that proudly do things the “old fashioned” way. The Victorian-era rake mash tun at Bruichladdich; the chalk-on-wall ‘computer’ at Springbank; the floor maltings at Highland Park, etc, are good examples. They’re a world apart from sonically-aged, computercreated, non-oak matured malts. One part of me thinks that this clinging to old rakes and floor maltings is a useless throwback in the face of innovation and invention, but another part of me likes to think that it all makes the most measurable difference to the end result and should be part of that tradition. Almost a fight between progressivism and conservatism in spirits production and then how that’s used, marketed, and produced. There’s a certain charm and romance to old world production. This applies to just about everything we enjoy, not just whisky. One of my favourite examples here is in motoring with the
Porsche 911. The 911 is, in its essence, a flawed design. A rear-engine sports car that has had decades of staying the same and slightly evolving. Balance issues, high speed wobbles, space requirements: these are just a smattering of the issues with this analogue object, but we love it. We love the flaws, the mechanical manufacture, the clunk of the gearbox, the old world purity before hybrids and Teslas. At the same time as craving the crunchy mechanical clicks of a Rolex that tells the time arguably as well as a digital Casio, there’s a charm that finds that intersection between tradition and innovation. The same applies to whisky. It doesn’t need to be an either/or scenario, and each world can learn from the other. The old world of production can start to lift aspects of innovation to improve their output, while the new world can take aspects of the old and maybe use things like… um, oak! Either way, it’s been playing on my mind this winter. Happy winter dramming and here’s to a cracking July Outturn.
Matt Bailey ~ SMWS National Ambassador 3
CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN
Changing Choices
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“The real area of change – and certainly from the consumer’s point of view – is the simple array of choice.”
I
was recently speaking at an industry event when a question came from the floor, “Which aspect or area of whisky do you think has seen the most change in the last two decades?” It’s a question worth pondering…. Several “obvious” areas come to mind. For example, one area of change is the huge number of new distilleries that have been established in the last 10 years. You’ll not have heard of most of these yet, as their stock is still maturing or they’ve not established a single malt brand. (At least, not in this country). In saying this, I have the Scotch whisky industry in mind but, closer to home, the same can be said for the local Australian industry – new distilleries are popping up everywhere. I was informed this week that Tasmania alone now boasts some 85 distilleries making whisky! Another area of change has been the cost of some whiskies. As I wrote about in a recent Outturn, the retail price being set for old or rare releases has gone up at an exponential rate that far exceeds any linear projection of inflation or CPI. However, the real area of change – and certainly from the consumer’s point of view – is the simple array of choice. And I don’t necessarily mean choice of different expressions from the established brands. I mean choice of whisk(e)y. For this current generation of whisky drinkers, Scotch will arguably be the yardstick against which all else is referenced or compared to. Perhaps it might also be thought of as being “the constant”. However, for drinkers wanting to try new whiskies or venture beyond their usual go-to dram, there’s a lot more scope these days to go “off track”. In the malt whisk(e)y world, it’s not that long ago that those wanting to drink something other than Scotch had about one brand of Irish and maybe one brand
of Japanese to choose from at their local chainstore. Today, however, the amount of choice is almost overwhelming: consider the excellent malt whisky offerings from India and Taiwan. There’s an ever-increasing range of Irish whiskey available. There are now numerous malt whisky offerings coming out of North America. From Europe, we have offerings from Wales, England, France, Sweden, and Switzerland. And all of that is before we get to the myriad of choice here on our own doorstep. We are, of course, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and Scotch is certainly our bread and butter. That said, it’s been fantastic to see the Society bottle whiskies and other spirits from those other categories. For those who enjoy seeing new numbers added to the Society’s code system and also new letters (e.g. B, R, A and C, etc), I’m pleased to share there’s a lot more bound for our shores. Cheers.
Andrew Derbidge ~ Chairman, Director, and NSW Manager
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MALT OF THE MONTH We’ve written about distillery 35, an Aussie member favourite code, more times than we’ve had hot dinners. Clean and delightful sipping, this iconic Elgin distillery shines in single cask, cask strength form and Cask 35.289 Sparkling pear cider oozes exotic fruits, slices of orange, vanilla cream and hazelnut. One for the picnic basket or sharing cabinet for that tropical punch in a glass with friends.
REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
8 years
DATE DISTILLED
28 June 2012
CASK NO. 35.289
OUTTURN
202 bottles
ABV
60.8%
REDUCED FROM $189
AUS ALLOCATION 66 bottles
SPARKLING PEAR CIDER JUICY, OAK & VANILLA
$149
Limit of one bottle per Member
T MALTHE OF NTH MO
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The aroma reminded one panellist of sparkling Normandy cider with the natural scent of pears combined with exotic fruits like mango and pineapple and the sweetness of honey. Really juicy, fresh and zingy on the palate neat, now more like an old-fashioned cider with the juice of a lemon, slices of orange, Angostura bitter, dark cherries and a dash of whisky. Water released a lovely light floral and herbal sweetness that we compared to witch hazel next to vanilla cream, coconut water and juicy mango slices. To taste, lightly spiced white chocolate fudge and juicy strawberries served with a slightly tangy sugar and lemon syrup.
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LET THE CHARACTER SHINE Distillery 52 is a proper coastal distillery on the rugged shores of Wick, Scotland. It’s uncommon to ever see the distillate from this iconic distillery below the 12 year old age statement, but it deservedly sees some love in a younger expression here that showcases the viscous and oily nature of the distillate’s character in a marvellous way. This particular cask was a highlight of the recent distillery feature event at Partner Bar, Whisky & Alement.
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SEASIDE CEVICHE YOUNG & SPRITELY CASK NO. 52.40
$160
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
7 years
DATE DISTILLED
27 August 2013
OUTTURN
253 bottles
ABV
58.4%
AUS ALLOCATION 48 bottles Fresh and airy on the nose, with hints of tomato leaf, unripe melon and fig, sea splashing against harbour walls, salted driftwood and purple popping candy. The neat palate is sparkly, and zesty – cinnamon and ginger dusted melon sprinkled with brown sugar; then oak, charcoal, rosemary and tobacco to finish. The reduced nose has ceviche served by the seaside, mango, lemonade and lime wedge in a Mexican beer. The palate grows milder – barley sugars, toffee apples and Fruit Salad chews; then a finish of spicy chai in a wooden beaker, angostura bitters and Euthymol tooth powder; a bit of a chameleon.
SUNSHINY SHIMMER OF SATISFACTION SPICY & SWEET CASK NO. 96.32
$170
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
10 years
DATE DISTILLED
26 May 2010
OUTTURN
212 bottles
ABV
60.4%
AUS ALLOCATION 48 bottles The power of imagination – one panellist was juggling pineapples and coconuts on a shifting drift of grist – another lounged on a summer hillside, smelling bracken, gorse rose and sun-cream, a cinnamon raisin bun in one hand and some old bourbon in the other. The palate was mouth-wateringly, lip-smackingly delish – brown sugar, chocolate oranges, Belgian waffles and coffee – all bathed in a sunshiny shimmer of satisfaction. The reduced nose discovered honey-coated nuts, elderflower, orange cupcakes, rhubarb and creamy vanilla. The palate’s yummy scrummy sapidity conveyed juicy, fruity, floral flavours, chamomile tea and lime flowers, milk bottle sweets and barley sugars – ‘Excellent!’ 9
THROWS YOU CURVE BALLS SPICY & DRY CASK NO. 140.4
$240
REGION
Texas
CASK TYPE
New European oak barrique
AGE
4 years
DATE DISTILLED
27 May 2016
OUTTURN
150 bottles
ABV
67.8%
AUS ALLOCATION 36 bottles Roses and carnations commenced a twisty ride through orange, grapefruit and eucalyptus before taking in almonds, coffee beans and bitter chocolate. Around the next turn came deep flavours of liquorice, raisins and morello cherries before we stopped for water beside fruit gums and navy rum. Then treacle and toffee joined earthy notes of walnuts, tomato plants and banana skin. Herbal notes on the palate now suggested red vermouth and liquorice while vanilla and caramel ice cream provided sweetness before we finished with strong black coffee and marmalade.
BY THIS GREAT CLATTER JUICY, OAK & VANILLA CASK NO. 6.50
$160
REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
2nd fill bourbon barrel
AGE
12 years
DATE DISTILLED
29 January 2009
OUTTURN
220 bottles
ABV
57.9%
AUS ALLOCATION 24 bottles A bright and breezy initial aroma of fabrics, fresh cereals, lanolin, baking parchment and toasted sunflower seeds greeted the panel. Beyond that we noted scrunched newspaper, orange peel, caramel and gorse flower. Water gave us snapped green twigs, scented candles, pollen, dried flowers, tent canvas and mushroom powder. The neat palate was easy and displayed a well-balanced sweetness. Some warm spice notes of cardamom and caraway also appeared. Dilution brought out mineral oils, Darjeeling tea with sugar, butter mints, shortbread and chopped hazelnuts.
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RED ALERT DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS CASK NO. 64.123
$220
Limit of one bottle per Member
RA EXT URED MAT
UNCOMPROMISINGLY HONEST DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS CASK NO. 30.120
$449
RA EXT URED T MA
REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
1st fill port barrique
AGE
14 years
DATE DISTILLED
13 September 2006
OUTTURN
253 bottles
ABV
53.6%
AUS ALLOCATION 36 bottles The initial nose was full of bright red fruits, concentrated jams, strawberry granita, mint leaf and limoncello. We also noted dried cranberries, sweet red liquorice and red fruit teas. Red, red, red, basically. And Tizer! With water we got bitter blood orange marmalade with coriander seed, blue raspberry ice lolly, watermelon and wild flowers. The neat palate was rich with Cherry Bakewell, strawberry jam, pineapple chunks, almond oil and blackcurrant cassis. With reduction came new leather, Black Jack chews, toasted cupboard spices, chai tea and Madeira sponge cake. Matured for 12 years in a bourbon hogshead before transfer to a 1st fill port barrique.
REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
1st fill Spanish Oak PX hogshead
AGE
24 years
DATE DISTILLED
14 February 1997
OUTTURN
202 bottles
ABV
59.2%
AUS ALLOCATION 24 bottles Honey roasted figs, caramelised dates with balsamic vinegar, nutty chocolate crunch, classic crepe suzette and grilled plums with Kirsch cream. On the palate, we went Belgique with an old-fashioned raisin bread called Kramiek with butter and cinnamon-scented plum jam as well as Française with duck confit in an orange sauce and a glass of Pineau des Charentes. Water added plenty of marzipan, treacle toffee and Lebkuchen before we finished with affogato al café, very hot freshly made espresso coffee poured over vanilla ice cream and sprinkled with demerara sugar. After 21 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill ex PX Spanish oak hogshead. 13
SOCIETY EXPERIENCES AN EVENING WITH JOHN McCHEYNE COME MEET THE SMWS GLOBAL AMBASSADOR! John McCheyne, our global ambassador for the SMWS, is flying all the way to Australia for his maiden voyage of this great nation, hosting a select number of special experiences around the country. SYDNEY: ISC Room, Royal Automobile Club, Wednesday 10 August 6:30pm. MELBOURNE: The Kelvin Club, Thursday 11 August 6:30pm. VIRTUALLY: Tuesday 9 August, 7pm AEST live online.
SYDNEY
MELBOURNE
Taste a selection from the upcoming Outturn each month at Captain’s Balcony in Sydney, who’ve taken up the full selection each month available by the dram at the bar at least a week before Outturn hits. These events are ticketed through Captain’s Balcony. JULY PREVIEW: Wednesday 22 June, 6:30pm AUGUST PREVIEW: Wednesday 27 July, 6:30pm Captain’s Balcony: 46 Erskine St, Sydney
Come take a trip through some incredible new and never-before seen expressions of a certain Orkney distillery with the Society, as well as some surprises along the way. Tickets will be strictly limited and will sell out fast.
OUTTURN PREVIEW NIGHTS
A GRAND ORKNEY ADVENTURE
THURSDAY 21 JULY, 6:30PM
Melbourne Whisky Room: 270 Russell St, Melbourne
HOBART
CANBERRA
Bourbon, rum, gin, grain, and American single malt. The Society bottles the widest range of fascinating flavours and types of spirit, so we’re partnering with the legends at Gold Bar to find their ideal mixers and matches for one night only.
Canberra, the ultimate whisky dinner at Vincent awaits. Join us for an exquisite and unconventional evening of pairing whiskies with courses and an incredible wine list to boot.
LET’S GET SPIRITUAL!
MONDAY 11 JULY, 6PM
Gold Bar: Suite 3, Ground Floor, 11 Morrison St, Hobart
EXQUISITE & UNCONVENTIONAL
THURSDAY 28 JULY, 6:30PM
Vincent Restaurant: 48 Macquarie St, Barton ACT
ADELAIDE
WOLLONGONG
Throw off the chill of winter and join us for another evening with five stunning cask strength, single cask whiskies from the SMWS cellars along with a delicious meal from the team at Seven Stars.
Rug up and bring your winter coats down to The Sunken Lounge at The Fraternity Club for an incredible four-course meal accompanying fine Society malts and camaraderie!
WINTER DINNER & WHISKY
FRIDAY 8 JULY, 6:30PM
Seven Stars Hotel: 187 Angas St, Adelaide
WINTER WARMERS: DINNER & DRAMS
FRIDAY 19 AUGUST, 6.30PM FOR 7PM
The Fraternity Club: 11 Bourke St, Fairy Meadow
FOR OUR LATEST EVENT LISTINGS AND TO BOOK ONLINE VISIT SMWS.COM.AU/EVENTS 14
VIRTUAL TASTING
Winter Wonders JOIN US LIVE! TUESDAY 19 JULY, 7PM AEST Winter is upon us, so let’s rug up with the Society for an evening around the fire at home with a more traditional 5 x dram set of never-before seen casks. Oddities and rarities and tasty treats in a traditional tasting and virtual masterclass with special preview cask offerings on the night. Casks will be announced closer to release online, keep your eyes peeled. Tickets just $79, includes 5 x new single cask samples.
Tune in live on Facebook & YouTube on Tuesday 19 July, 7pm AEST. Or watch at your own leisure after.
GRAB YOUR VIRTUAL TASTING KIT AND JOIN IN! SMWS.COM.AU/SHOP
$A7CH9SET E
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TRULY MAD Cask 128.15 ‘Mad as a box of frogs!’ was previously a Partner Bar exclusive from earlier in the year, but now available to members by the bottle. This basket of ripe tropical fruits gets a vote for absolute sleeper of the year. Fresh papaya, ripe mango chunks, and tropical esters bouncing around the glass make this the most intriguing cask out of this Welsh distillery we’ve seen yet. Don’t snooze on this.
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LOWLAND GHOSTS SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW CASK NO. 112.91
$235
Limit of one bottle per Member
WEEK 2 RELEASE 15TH JULY
AS MAD AS A BOX OF FROGS! SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW CASK NO. 128.15
$210
WEEK 3 RELEASE 22ND JULY
REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
2nd fill bourbon barrel
AGE
19 years
DATE DISTILLED
28 August 2001
OUTTURN
192 bottles
ABV
58.0%
AUS ALLOCATION 18 bottles The panel discussed how batches, of this make, from this distillery, are starting to become unmistakeable. This very specific, distinct and charismatic profile was immediately apparent. We noted thick, syrupy fruitiness, cooking oils, herbal essences, metal polishes, pure fruit cordials, soot and guava jam. Beautiful, and more than reminiscent of a certain deceased Lowlander. Reduction offered us a grassier, more playful aroma. Herbaceous, rapeseed oil, elderflower cordial, nettles, lemon zest and gorse in full bloom. Lots of posh olive oil, overripe pineapple, exotic esters, tangy citrus, metallic aspects and crisp cereals. With water we found the fruits became even more pointedly exotic and tropical. Mango, papaya, kumquat and then bitter herbal notes, fir wood, watercress and sandalwood.
REGION
Wales
CASK TYPE
Refill barrel #4 char
AGE
10 years
DATE DISTILLED
8 September 2010
OUTTURN
182 bottles
ABV
58.2%
RA EXT URED T MA
AUS ALLOCATION 36 bottles The scent of pomegranate and red apple fragrance oil was followed by the floral combination of roses and freesia. On the palate, we were ‘mangoed’ before other fruits like melon, pears and bananas appeared. But it did not stop there, ‘as mad as a box of frogs’, it just kept on going – teasing and pleasing with strawberry laces, gummi bears and vanilla cream. A drop of water and orange jelly with cardamom and mint-infused pineapple was all washed down with a passion fruit mango bubble tea. After eight years in an ex-bourbon barrel, we transferred this whisky into a heavy char, 24-month air seasoned refill barrel. 17
ORKNEY GHEE LIGHTLY PEATED CASK NO. 4.289
$199
WEEK 2 RELEASE 15TH JULY
ATLANTIC SPRAY AND BONFIRE SPARKS PEATED CASK NO. 29.280
$225
Limit of one bottle per Member
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REGION
Highland
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
11 years
DATE DISTILLED
18 February 2010
OUTTURN
248 bottles
ABV
62.4%
AUS ALLOCATION 42 bottles The initial nose was pure seawater and olive brine. Lean, flint smoked, saline minerals with hessian, soft tarry notes and bacon fat. Crushed aspirins and seashells muddled with petrol and beach sand. Reduction gave us salted pistachios, sunflower oil, bog myrtle, mechanical grease, wet beach pebbles and wintergreen. The palate initially displayed putty, heather flowers, miso, Scotch broth, umami paste, green olive and smoked sea salt. Aromatic and assertive. With water it evolved a farmyard profile and meatier, thicker tones. Canvas, soot, coal smoke, ointments and pure peat. At seven years of age, we combined selected hogsheads from the same distillery into a variety of different casks. This first fill bourbon barrel is one of those casks.
REGION
Islay
CASK TYPE
2nd fill bourbon barrel
AGE
10 years
DATE DISTILLED
24 August 2010
OUTTURN
92 bottles
ABV
58.7%
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles The initial nose evoked smoked ham in a fireside cast iron pan, or a confectionery stall at the end of the pier – the medicinal peat working like Prozac. The neat palate was sweet but with masculine heft – tar, liquorice, treacle toffee and fried seaweed with chilli: then apple and celeriac salad served on a steam train. The reduced nose suggested a bonfire of wooden fish boxes on a rocky headland – wild Atlantic spray mingling with the sparks. The palate however, was sweeter – smoked fish, green fruits and chocolate sauce on ice-cream, but with burnt wood, smoke and ash on the finish.
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ITALIAN ADVENTURE Welcome back distillery 105, it’s been a long time between drams! In the deep appreciation pockets of malt whisky, you’ll find whispers of this distillery and the hugely under-appreciated character it carries. The distillate sings, the cask shines, and this lesser-seen code is very appreciated. This example is firm, rich, and oozing with notes of pannacotta, waxed parchment and dried flowers. The kind of bottle you take with you on your next Italian holiday or Sunday afternoon picnic. Enjoy!
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GENUINE ITALIAN FAKE SPICY & SWEET CASK NO. 105.35
$190
REGION
Speyside
CASK TYPE
1st fill bourbon barrel
AGE
14 years
DATE DISTILLED
2 March 2007
OUTTURN
205 bottles
ABV
58.5%
AUS ALLOCATION 42 bottles The nose made it immediately apparent this was a slight deviation from this distillery’s usual profile. This was firmer and richer than we were used to. Lots of canvas, touches of soot, embrocation, vapour rubs, waxed parchment and mineral oils with lemon bubble gum. Reduction brought breakfast cereals dusted with icing sugar, tiramisu, greengages, dried flowers and orange biscotti. The palate was initially very juicy and fruity, fruit salad juices, limoncello, lanolin and pineapple jelly. With reduction we noted shoe polish, dried oregano, old paper, white chocolate, ointments, pizza dough and an umami touch of parmesan cheese in the background.
HOT SHOTS RUM CASK NO. R11.14
$170
RA EXT URED T MA
REGION
Jamaica
CASK TYPE
Refill bourbon (ex-peaty) barrel
AGE
7 years
DATE DISTILLED
1 June 2013
OUTTURN
244 bottles
ABV
67.5%
AUS ALLOCATION 30 bottles Either madness or brilliance - it is remarkable how often those two traits coincide. Aromas of glue and pine sap, pineapple dipped in white gloss paint, fruity funky earthiness – let us walk the plank and take a sip! An insane hit of flavour and power, like being pounded by a barrage of hot shots (cannonball that are heated before firing) from all three decks fired by a Man-of-War! The burning timbers we tried to douse with saltwater as the fragrant wood smoke engulfed the whole ship, yet we managed to get away. After five years in an ex-bourbon barrel, we transferred this rum into a refill bourbon cask which previously matured peaty whisky from Speyside. 21
“Central to Thomas’s theatrical approach to mixing drinks was his signature cocktail the Blue Blazer, which he developed at the El Dorado gambling saloon in San Francisco.”
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Jerry Thomas and the
Blue Blazer WORDS BY GAVIN D SMITH ORIGINALLY FOR UNFILTERED MAGAZINE
When Tom Cruise took to ‘flair bartending’, juggling bottles, glasses and shakers during the 1988 film Cocktail, he was actually following in a long tradition of cocktail bar showmanship. One of the originators was Jeremiah ‘Jerry’ P Thomas, who is also credited with writing the first American drinks book How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon Vivant’s Companion, published in New York in 1862.
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Th om
24
Jerry
J
erry Thomas is a fascinating figure, a pioneering bartender, adventurer, businessman and author, who lived a colourful life during a notably colourful period of American history. He was born during 1830 or 1832 in Sackets Harbour, upstate New York, and began his bar room career in New Haven, Connecticut, before heading to California the year after the great ‘gold rush’ started there in 1848. He worked bars, may have prospected for gold and managed a minstrel show, before returning to his native east coast during 1851. In New York City, Thomas established a saloon in the same premises as Barnum’s American Museum, on the corner of
as
Broadway, Park Row, and Ann Street in Manhattan, but was soon on his travels again, working in hotels and bars in in St Louis, Chicago, San Francisco, Charleston and New Orleans. During this time, he honed his flamboyant bartending act, creating a public persona which included wearing diamond rings and cufflinks and kid gloves, while he was known to collect art as well as enjoying bare-knuckle boxing bouts. Invited to tour Europe, he arrived there with a set of solid-silver bar tools!
LIQUID FIRE
Central to Thomas’s theatrical approach to mixing drinks was his signature cocktail the Blue Blazer, which he developed at the El Dorado gambling saloon in San Francisco. The Blue Blazer is made by lighting whisky in one cocktail jigger and pouring it into a second jigger containing boiling water. The liquid is then transferred rapidly between the two jiggers several times until mixed, at which point sugar and lemon are added. Thomas liked to use cask strength Scotch whisky to create his Blue Blazer, and as he later wrote: “If well done this will have the appearance of a continued stream of liquid fire.” Thomas was largely responsible for elevating the art of bartender to the status of a respected professional, earning the nickname ‘The Professor’. While working as head barman at the Occidental Hotel in Chicago, he was reputedly earning $100 per week; rather more than the vice-president of the United States. Never a notably modest man, Thomas described himself as “Jupiter Olympus of the Bar”.
“Thomas was largely responsible for elevating the art of bartender to the status of a respected professional, earning the nickname ‘The Professor’”.
A BLESSING TO MANKIND
His lasting contribution to drinks culture was his 1862 tome, which carried the impressively all-encompassing title of How to Mix Drinks: Or, The Bon-vivant’s Companion, Containing Clear and Reliable Directions for Mixing All the Beverages Used in the United States, Together With the Most Popular British, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish Recipes, Embracing Punches, Juleps, Cobblers, Etc., Etc., Etc., in Endless Variety. This was the first attempt to collect cocktail recipes, write them down and publish them in book form, and it contained many which had previously only enjoyed oral transmission as well as some of Thomas’s own creation. He went on to update the title several times during his lifetime, adding new discoveries and inventions.
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“The book remains in print to this day, and includes what is often considered to be the ‘first’ cocktail, the whiskey sour.”
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In the preface to his Companion, Thomas wrote that: “It struck us that a list of all the social drinks – the composite beverages, if we may call them so – of America, would really be one of the curiosities of jovial literature; and that if it was combined with a catalogue of the mixtures common to other nations, and made practically useful by the addition of a concise description of the various processes for brewing each, it would be a blessing to mankind.” The book remains in print to this day, and includes what is often considered to be the ‘first’ cocktail, the whiskey sour, with Thomas providing its earliest written attestation:
THE GREATEST BARTENDER IN AMERICAN HISTORY
THE WHISKEY SOUR
Thomas died of a stroke on December 15, 1885, having lost a great deal of money in Wall Street investments. Such was his fame by this time that newspapers all over the US carried obituaries, including the New York Times, which noted that he was “… at one time better known to club men and men about town than any other bartender in this city, and he was very popular among all classes”. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York. Herbert Asbury described Jerry Thomas as “the greatest bartender in American history” and painted a memorable portrait of him, writing that: “He was indeed an imposing and lordly figure of a man…portly, sleek and jovial, and yet possessed of immense dignity. A jacket of pure and spotless white encased his great bulk, and a huge and handsome moustache, neatly trimmed in the arresting style called walrus, adorned his lip and lay caressingly athwart his plump and rosy cheeks. He presented an inspiring spectacle as he leaned upon the polished mahogany of his bar, amid the gleam of polished silver and cut glass, and impressively pronounced the immemorial greeting, ‘What will it be, gentlemen?’”
• (Use a small bar-glass) • Take 1 large tea-spoonful of powdered white sugar dissolved in a little Seltzer or Apollinaris water • The juice of half a small lemon • 1 wine-glass of Bourbon or rye whiskey • Fill the glass full of shaved ice, shake up and strain into a claret glass. Ornament with berries.
Back in New York City once again, Thomas served as head bartender at the Metropolitan Hotel, before opening his own bar at Broadway and 22nd Street, which, according to Herbert Asbury in a December 1927 article for H L Mencken’s American Mercury, “… became one of the most celebrated saloons in the history of the city”. After seven years there, Thomas sold the property and moved to 1239 Broadway, where he presided for a further eight years, before making his final move downtown in 1875, establishing Thomas’s Exchange at No.3 Barclay Street.
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AUSTRALIANSMWS
SMWS_AUS
Society bottlings are offered and sold through The Artisanal Spirits Company Pty Ltd, Liquor Licence LIQP770017428.