Ruzz Barr
 |
 |
|
Click images to view larger photos |
||
Ruzz Barr, Whisky Guild Member Number 2, visited Scotland during August 2005 and returned to New Zealand with four special whiskies. Ruzz is shown with three of them in the photo.
Ruzz and Jenny visited two distilleries - Auchentoshan and Bladnock - and did the tour at each. Bladnock was interesting for the different reason that it was silent over the summer hence everything was open and we could view the inside of the stills etc. Bladnock uses the local river for cooling but during the summer months the river water is too warm so they have to shut down. Bladnock is in the process of being revived after being recently purchased by an Irishman, Raymond Armstrong, who came over to Scotland seeking to buy a holiday home – only the Irish!
The three whiskies shown each have a special reason for being purchased
• The Auchentoshan 12 year old is only sold in the UK and Taiwan
• The Bladnock 15 year old, cask strength, was hand bottled at the distillery. The additional label on the bottle states ‘there has been no filtration whatsoever consequently the bottles may include fine sediment, charcoal etc. This is entirely harmless’, and
• The Bottle in the presentation case, bottle number 233, is an 11 year old Glengoyne with a claret finish. It is a limited edition single cask, 352 bottles, launched in June 2005 to celebrate 800 years since the town of Ayr (south west Scotland) received it’s royal charter from the Scottish King William the Lion on 21st May 1205. What made this even more special was that it was selected and launched by Charles McLean who was with us in Christchurch during December 2004.
Lastly, the fourth was a Johnnie Walker Black Label purchased at the home of Johnnie Walker – Kilmarnock.
The second photo shows Ruzz with his purchases (plural) outside the Auchentoshan distillery.
What a trip – highly recommended!