IslayBlog.com -> 2010 ->
Diardaoin, 23/Sep/2010
Impressions from the Laphroaig Live Event (updated)
They say you shouldn't blog when you're not sober. But then again there are always reasons to make an exception. Like the Laphroaig Live event I've just watched online, which of course couldn't be done without a wee dram or two (or three) of said Islay single malt. So what are my first impressions from this years Laphroaig live broadcast, the fourth in the series?
Let me start with the positives: I quite enjoyed it again, it was some good entertainment. There was a lot of good banter going on in parallel on Twitter, commenting on what we were seeing and adding to the experience. I was quite impressed when they even announced a ‘hashtag’ (if you don't use Twitter don't worry about it, if you do you probably know what this is) at the start of the programme, showed that they had done their homework and knew people would be tweeting and discussing the event live. Of course the usual suspects were out in force and we were soon chatting and commenting.
I politely listened to the sherry part (don't have any in the house, as I don't drink sherry). Then the interesting part started: of course I had the Quarter Cask, I had also stocked up on the Triple Wood when I travelled to Germany recently. Meaning I had two of the whiskies they were tasting. I quite enjoyed it when Simon called the QC ‘Wild Child’ (and I could't help Iggy Pop's version of Real Wild Child popping into my head). Of course I also very much enjoyed my wee dram of the Triple Wood, at the moment my favourite Laphroaig. I didn't have the 25yo to hand (that's a bit out of my normal price range), but I do remember having some two years ago, very nice.
Towards the end (of the actual tasting session) John Campbell dropped the bombshell with a planned 35yo sherry cask matured for the double centenary in 2015. Single cask if I understood it correctly. I don't think I want to the know what a bottle of that will be…
Now for the areas for improvements (or more bluntly, the negatives): Same as last time I thought it was too short, a wee bit rushed. Trying to squeeze too much into such short time. If I'm not mistaken the whole event was squeezed into under 45 minutes. Please give it an hour or even hour and a half (without adding more stuff). Give it some time to breathe. Slow down. Just like it takes a good whisky time to mature. Give us watchers time to keep up with you, give us time to enjoy the drams with you.
And don't cut it off so harshly. I quite enjoyed Diego Sandrin playing a nice tune at the end (while I was sipping on the Triple Wood and dreaming of Islay) when it was suddenly cut off abruptly. That was naughty. Just slowly, gently fade it out. Like you finish a nice evening, calmly and enjoyably.
Good night!
Update: The full video of the event in Spain is now available on YouTube, embedded below. If you missed it catch up in your own time, or just watch again.
YouTube: Laphroaig - A Taste of Scotland with a flavour of Spain
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