Spirit Guides

Lace em' up boys, tonight we'll fight for it.

Managing a Whisky Bar is like managing a hockey team; you won't get good results if the players aren't movers and shakers. And with too many players on the bench, the good ones won't get enough ice time. So picking your roster is pretty darn important, and at the end of the day if a player doesn't perform, you don't pay them, you cut them – that's just business. For a hockey team, 23 players will do, for a whisky bar, I've seen a roster of hundreds, but to what end? To carry any more than 50 whiskies at a time takes the spotlight off of the stars and completely overwhelms the fans.

Enter the rotating roster method. Perform or die. Why should a whisky have it any easier than a pro hockey player? You hire them to do a job, (making people warm and fuzzy inside) and they better dram well deliver. The problem is, some whiskies that don't sell well aren't necessarily 'bad' whiskies. Without naming names and pointing fingers, I can say we have some great whiskies that don't sell well. So what makes that happen? It's not price – I have some inexpensive ones that sit a lot longer than the more expensive ones. For whisky to perform well it comes down to one important factor: the coach standing on the bench (AKA our staff). Whisky patrons want to be steered in the right direction and they look for that from the guys and gals on the other side of the counter. And rightly so. But they're not just whisky coaches, they're your spirit guides to dramland.

DVLB's Dr. Dramstein workin' the Peat

 Now most people that visit us at DVLB have seen the whisky wall and paid their due respects. But not a heck of a lot of people have had a chance to visit our secret whisky lab. (The whereabouts of said lab will remain undisclosed for fear of mass looting and rioting in our fine town), but rest assured we in management are hard at work toiling away, dram after dram, day after day to bring you the best of what seems like an endless golden utopia of malt madness.

When building and destroying a whisky collection, one should search for a diverse set of skills from your players. Consider light ones, sweet ones, and some with that quintessential mark of St. Andrew: Peat. Let's look at some new and bright stars in the line up shall we:

Where's the Peat? haha.

Port Charlotte An Turas Mor
Speaking of player performance, I've had an on and off again love affair with Bruichladdich. When first I looked at the Laddie Classic I thought it must have been a printing error. The Tiffany blue bottle screams of desperation in the not-so-sublte art of peacocking. The pale liquid inside didn't offer much more. The Laddie Organic is tolerable, offering up a unique approach to the market by jumping on the 'green' wagon. But it was the Port Charlotte sub-brand of Bruichladdich that finally did justice to a distillery that for many years waved it's proud flag of independence (recently sold out to Rémy Cointreau). Hmmm. To most, Islay = Peat. And Port Charlotte is Bruichladdich's answer to that question: 'where's the peat?'

Found on our flavour map just below the 'Lone Wolf' (Ardbeg) and it's shyer half-beast cousin (Laphroaig) the PC An Turas Mor (Gaelic for 'the great journey') is just one peated single malt in a long line of other PCs that are leading up to the release of a 10 yr old… probably within a year. The concept of releasing several underaged malts to the public so they can experience the maturation process is, well… pretty cool. One thing we can't take away from Bruichladdich is their tenacity to be inventive. Let's hope their new Parisian overlords let them keep playing in that sandbox.

The Balvenie Peated Cask 17 yr old
Innovation isn't shipwrecked on Islay though. Master Distiller of The Balvenie, David Stewart has his own brand of sorcery. From the stunning 14 yr old Caribbean Cask (in our top #5 for sales) to another malted mutation: The 17 yr old Peated Cask. 'So what' you say? Well my darling deerbunnies, as you know, The Balvenie is a Speyside whisky and as such is more known for its focus on honey and vanilla notes. Peat is very atypical for this distillery (see sister: Glenfiddich) here's the low-down: In 2001, he produced some heavily peated Balvenie whisky and put this in to ex-bourbon casks. In late 2009, after eight years of maturation, he decided to transfer this heavily peated whisky to some fresher casks and had planned to experiment and put some other suitable whisky in the old casks. Stewart selected some 17 yr old and transferred it to the casks that had previously held the heavily peated whisky and monitored its maturation progress. The result was then blended with some other 17 years old whisky that had been part matured in new American oak casks. The result is this Balvenie 17 years old Peated Cask. Got all that?

This is the only whisky on our flavour map that has a multi-coloured rating. Starting off with honey notes and easily tricking you into a calm and collected serenity before smacking you upside the head with it's open fist of peated prowess, this dram is unapologetic - The way a Scot should be. Thanks Davey.

Don't be such a Drip

Kopi Luwak pour-overs… hells no

When we first opened our doors in December we weren't sure how the Loo would react to us banishing traditional drip coffee and offering up something that takes a lot more time and a lot more effort to make as an alternative to our espresso. People still come in and ask what the heck a pour-over is; and we lovingly walk through the process so they can see for themselves what makes it so darn special. The fact that so many people haven't heard of this technique tells us that not many coffee shops are offering it in our area. (DVLB may be the only place in town currently offering this brewing method) Hopefully it'll catch on with other shops, but we suspect a big detractor is that it takes several minutes to brew a cup and is heavily reliant on a barista's skill. This is slow, slow, slow. So patience is a prerequisite.

Beware: your vision may be affected by one too many pour-overs

What the hell is this thing anyway? At first glance the pour-over may appear to be a 'mini' drip device, but it's far more involved than making drip coffee and produces a far more delicate brew (when done right). With traditional drip brewing you fill the coffee machine with water, it boils and the water is sprayed onto the coffee grounds. Gravity takes over and pulls the water through the grounds and into a carafe. You can't really mess this up because there's really no interaction in the extraction process. Simple. There's a device on the market called the Clever Coffee Dripper that looks a lot like a pour-over but it's brew method is similar to a french press in that it's a 'full-immersion' process: You put the grinds in, add all the water at once and brew. But don't be fooled, the results are not the same as the more involving pour-over method.

If you really want to expand your coffee tasting experience, the pour-over technique allows more control over the extraction which in turn makes a cleaner, rounder, and fruitier brew. It's multidimensional and works great (with great coffee). The biggest plus: that piercing and acidic bitterness you general get from regular drip coffees… gone. It's so smooth you won't believe you're drinking it straight! No more masking that black goddess with creams and sugars. If you're looking to cut your dairy, this is the way to do it.

uhh, Honey, maybe you should've gone with the black spacy outfit

The secret lies in how you pour the water over the grounds. There are a lot of videos online that will show you how to do it. Some use timers, some use scales, but we prefer to use our hearts *sigh*. First things first though: only grind the beans right before brewing. Nothing in our shop is pre-ground. That's a deadly sin in our world, as once you grind the beans, they'll go stale in about 5 minutes - this is a key step. (This is also one of the reasons we decided against drip coffee. We didn't feel right about serving some sludge that's been sitting on a heating plate for 30 mins.)

Once you've got your grounds in a filter, you'll punch a little divot in the center of the grounds and add a couple of table spoons worth of hot water in that divot. All you're trying to do here is wet the coffee. You aren't trying to extract yet. As the coffee reacts to the water, you'll see the 'bloom'. It's a fantastically geeky sight to watch the coffee rise like yeast. It's important to do this step and not just "dump n' drip". Remember, this is a ceremony, a sacrament, it's borderline cult-like but without the Kool-aid. And yes, it's little bit of a show, but that's ok. As long as we admit to the grandstanding, people will buy a ticket. We all know coffee isn't just a consumable, it's a ritual.

After the bloom, we'll hit the grinds with small bursts of hot water to get the extraction flowing. We never want to submerge the coffee fully in water, we want it to breathe. This allows the gases to escape and thus help reduce the tartness and bitterness that's common in drip and full-immersion coffee. After about 3 minutes you'll have a full cup ready to worship and reflect over. When you're done your first cup, don't be alarmed to find a bit of residue at the bottom. That's perfectly normal (also common with other brew methods like french press).

Recently with the early warm weather, we've been offering an iced pour-over in our mason jar glassware. The subtle and delicate notes work perfectly with a mug full of ice on a hot spring day. We're also rotating our single-origin pour-over coffees all the time. Our most popular is a Guatemalan, but we usually have at least 2 to choose from. This week is our first week offering a sweet little cherry from Burundi called: Kiryama.

If you're used to regular drip coffee waking you up like a punch in the face, you might appreciate the pour-over's kinder shake n' wake. It still packs the same amount of caffeine, but the flavour spectrums are much broader. Does take a little longer? Yes, but all the best things in life are worth waiting for… patience is (as they say) a virtue. Amen.

What women want... Scotch!

All Brick ever wanted was to watch the damn football game.

It's only been 2 months since we opened our little jackashack and we're overjoyed by the reception we've received so far. Everyone's been incredibly complimentary of our digs, our coffees and our whiskies. Thank you, thank you, thank you! It's still early on in the game for us and we're planning some big stuff come springtime so stay tuned for more. We're still learning to fly and figuring out what works and what doesn't.

Liars, the whole lot of 'em

The 'movement'
The biggest surprise by far for DVLB?… our whisky customers. It's made us very happy little deerbunnies to see so many women showing an interest in whisky. A sea change? If so, bring it. The girls are showing the boys how it's done. And it's not the groups of giddy girls out on a Friday all dolled up just looking for a one-night stand with the dram. No, our fine lady-patrons are regulars; and regulars with a discerning appetite otherwise known as malt madness. A power struggle? I doubt it. Women are smarter than that. Whisky is that beautiful elixir that takes a real dedication. Maybe women are just better at commitment. 

Some starter points for the lads and lassies
1. Try real hard (don't be a try-hard) not to make a funny face when you feel the 'burn'. Embrace it, make it your friend and sail away to that happy place with it. Also, it doesn't have to burn… just sip'er slow.
2. It's not jagermeister. Sip it. Slow. Relax. Put the iPhone down & contemplate the fact that it took 10+ yrs for this fine spirit to reach your lips and bestow upon you this new found joy.
3. Ask questions. The world of Whisky is vast, we'll hold your hand through this. Slow and steady
4. Water awakens whisky's flavours. Drinking it neat is not a prerequisite.

I'm sorry, we're all out of ice. You'll have to drink it neat like a man.

Women of Whisky
The whiskey dame
Marketing blog Extra

Please sir, can I have some more

Whisky n' Gruel. Yum.

We just picked up 2 new single malts this week and they've inspired us to write a bit about single malt / dessert pairings. Seeing as we've also brought in some amazing crème brûlées over the last few weeks and we're working feverishly on our first whisky tasting which may or may not include a chocolate/truffle pairing, I figured this sort of combination deserved some coverage. (BTW the pecan tarts we carry are made with bourbon... but that's our little secret ok!)

This bars' not big enough for the both of us

Auchentoshan Three Wood
This is the second review we've done for the Auchentoshan distillery... 'FOUR!' he yelled across the dew drenched fields of Dalmuir. One has to wonder if the name is an inside reference for golf enthusiasts... (The 'three wood' being that trusty ol' club in your bag – your 'go-to' as you roll up and down the lowland links.)

If you've had the Auchentoshan 12 yr old you know it's light and crisp with slight grassy notes. The Three Wood is nothing like the 12 yr old. It'll drive 300 yards easy without breaking a sweat. And that's just the nose. Although not labeled with an age, this single malt is a 12 year old, matured for 10 in bourbon casks then finished for one year in Oloroso Sherry casks and then another year in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks. The colour is deep, the nose has a staying power, and the palate... well the palate is oh so sweet. Not what you would expect from a lowland right? There's a definite cherry note, maybe cooked cherries? This is a whisky I'd pair with a cream filled chocolate over a dark bittersweet. Overall, it's always nice to see a range from the same distillery. It really showcases what great maltmasters can do in the wonderful world of whisky!

Highland Park 18 yr old
When you're a poor dram-addict like me but decide to drop this kind of cash on a scotch, you have to almost forget about the price tag if you want to get any enjoyment from it at all. If you put the cost on the front burner, then that's all you'll think about when you sip n' slip away to the land of whisky-valhalla. The 12 year old Highland Park is extraordinary for the price and is always onsite at DVLB. It's the first single malt I experienced that gave me that "aha moment". The 12's older brother is like most older brothers; a little wiser, a little stronger, and not so desperate to prove himself to anyone anymore. Refined, yes. Not as peaty as the 12, much richer in tone and a longer finish. Cheers to older brothers.

Sexy beast!... I mean god.

As an aside, there are some interesting and creative things Highland Park is doing these days. They've recently launched a special Valhalla Collection with the first release being called "Thor". A 16 year old cask strength. One must wonder if it tastes as good as it looks, because damn, that packaging is sexy.

Honourable mention for crème brûlée pairing: Dalmore 12 yr old, Balvenie Caribbean Cask, Aberlour 18 yr old.

Grean Meanie

Not all LCBOs are created equal

Most times when I walk past the institutionalized, neutral-toned, and calming facade of the LCBO I feel a slight chill as our bureaucratically-laced overlords dictate what we can and can't drink. They've done a bang up job of keeping us in the dark ages with clean lighting, wood-warmed vintage sections and staff donning ties. If you've ever shopped for wine or whisky south of the border or in Europe in one of their super-boozemarts, you know this pain I speak of.

But it ain't all bad. If you do your homework and scour the city you can find some great selections. My favourite LCBO in K-W for whisky is at Ottawa & Home Watson (721 Ottawa Street South) in the Alpine Centre. I've spoken with the manager Greg there, and he has a good understanding of whisky and seems to be proactive in his stock selections. Greg also recommends a drive to another great LCBO in Guelph that has an impressive selection located on Stone Rd West across from the Stone Rd. Mall (615 Scottsdale Drive).


Well anyway, as I was restocking some of our more popular whiskies like Jura Superstition, I happened across a little green gem from the Isle of Mull: Tobermory 10 yr old. For some reason the island whiskies seem to have grabbed the hearts of K-dub so I said 'what the hell, let's give Toby a shot in the big leagues.'

Sitting off the west coast of Scotland, north of Jura, sits Scotland's fourth largest Island. Tobermory (formerly Ledaig) is a neat 'little' guy. Bottled in a 700ml format like our Bruichladdich Organic, this Island single malt hits on the central sweet spot on our flavour map. The Tobermory single malt is distilled from unpeated malted barley and matured in oak casks for ten years. A peated whisky is also made in Tobermory, named Ledaig for the original distillery name.

Don't be afraid to add a little water to this one. It'll cloud over due to it's un-chill filtered production but will soften the spicy notes. The nose is soft and will mislead as to it's true nature. I get a kick out of a scotch that plays tricks on you. There are only a few of these sneaky devils out there. You'll find this 'green meanie' just south of the smoky meridian and heavier on the rich notes than on the light notes.

Overall, another happy addition to the DVLB line-up kids!

Hello, is there anybody out there...?

 Hello world of bloggers... this is our first post and we're excited to finally get our little selves on the blog scene to share our world view of all things Espresso Whisky and Bread. The holy trinity of 'the good life'

First up we'll talk scotch... I find a lot of whisky reviews both in book form and blog form tend to over-analyze the dram for our liking, but that being said, I do enjoy them... we're just simple whisky sippin' jackalopes though, so we'll keep our comments lighthearted and easy on the ol' noggin. A few tasting notes is all you need to peak an interest. At the end of the day, we all have different palettes and we'll all experience these whiskies in our own way. One thing we do try to do at DVLB is to plot each whisky on our flavour map. When you visit our digs, we'll make sure you get a gander at the flavour map to help you on your journey down the whisky trail. With that said... here we go a-bloggin'... up first are the 3 newest additions to the DVLB line-up:

Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix:
Recently we scoured all of K-W and picked up the last 3 bottles of Snow Phoenix available at the provincial pharmacy. I was actually surprised to see that only 3 were left in the region. I thought we'd have more time to get to know this scotch before making a big commitment, but the sales speak for themselves. Since this is our first ever blog review, we'll rely on the help of some other whiskyheads for the background story on this special whisky: "In January 2010, thanks to an especially snow-filled winter, some of Glenfiddich’s warehouse roofs reached their snow load-bearing limits and decided to collapse without considering the feelings of those sensitive spirit-filled casks within. These casks, some ex-bourbon, some ex-Oloroso, sat shivering in the snow, exposed to sub-zero temps while crews worked furiously to get all involved into a warmer setting. Malt Master Brian Kinsman decided to create a special edition commemorating the event, vatting a selection of whiskies ranging from 12 to 30 years old, bottling it non-chill filtered at a slightly higher proof, and giving it its myth-inspired name."

DVLB's First Impressions:
Strong honey note off the start. Sweet, light, tiny bit of smoke, well balanced and complex. Almost in the center. Slightly richer than light. Slightly delicate over smoke. Aside from the obvious marketing ploy, and sexy packaging, this is actually a damn good dram. Because it's never being released again, it makes this scotch extra special. Once it's gone, it's gone.

Jura Superstition:
Smoky rich, very spicy, not sure what spice but there's orange peel in there somewhere. Peaty, not light not delicate. Very unique, can't say what it is though... It's a mystery. Heavy like a heavy scotch ale and not an everyday scotch. It's a stand alone.

Aberlour 18 yr old:
Incredibly smooth, no burn at all. Delicate and rich, not a lot of smoke. This is a scotch that sets the bar high. When you first have a go at it, you almost can't believe it's a single-malt. Makes you wonder (and dream) about how smooth 30 & 50 yr old scotches are... hmm.