Gilpin Family Whisky made from diabetics’ urine

James Gilpin is a designer and researcher who works on the implementation of new biomedical technologies. He’s also got type 1 diabetes, where his body doesn’t produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.

So he’s started a project called Gilpin Family Whisky, which turns the sugar-rich urine of elderly diabetics into a high-end single malt whisky, suitable for export.

The source material is acquired from elderly volunteers, including Gilpin’s own grandmother, Patricia. The urine is purified in the same way as mains water is purified, with the sugar molecules removed and added to the mash stock to accelerate the whisky’s fermentation process. Traditionally, that sugar would be made from the starches in the mash.

Once fermented into a clear alcohol spirit, whisky blends are added to give colour, taste and viscosity, and the product (more…)

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I just thought I would let you know that Drysdale House are holding their next “Isle of Spirits” event in a few weeks time…

Venue: Drysdale House, 59 Collins Street Hobart

Date: Monday 26 July 2010

Time: Master Class: 5:45pm - 7:15pm
General tasting session for public and industry members: 7:30pm - 9:30pm

RSVP: Ring Drysdale Link on (03) 6233 2777 to book for the master class
Price: $40 for the Master Class
$10 for admission to the general tasting session (pay at the door).

Distillers who will be involved are Lark Distillery, Nant Distillery, Tasmania Distillery, Strait Distillery and Hellyers Road.
The master class will involve products from each distillery and food matching.

Please click here for registration form

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As a consequence of the continuing instability of basic raw material prices, which have doubled within the last year, the management of J & A Mitchell and Company Ltd. have decided to cut back the production of new spirit at their Springbank and Glengyle Distilleries until prices settle. The state of the materials market will be kept under continuous review.

The opportunity will be taken to carry out necessary maintenance work and create the increased warehousing accommodation required for future development. In the short term there will however, regrettably, be a few staff redundancies. There will be no impact on the availability of bottled Springbank whisky or the Kilkerran whisky from its Glengyle Distillery as the Company has ample stocks of young maturing whisky which will enable it to continue supplying its home and export markets as normal.

Chairman
J & A Mitchell and Company Ltd.

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Sally Gudgeon raises a glass to an exciting new industry.

AUSTRALIA has a young whisky industry but some of our drops are world class. Jim Murray is the world’s leading authority on whisky. His Whisky Bible 2008 ratings for some Australian whiskies show he considers them among the best in the world. Malt whiskies from Bakery Hill, Lark Distillery and Tasmania Distillery score in the 90s (out of 100). For a modern industry that dates back only to the 1990s, they are spectacular scores, particularly when few of the spirits have reached their 10th birthday.

Whisky production is not new to Australia. Spirits arrived with the First Fleet, and Governor Bligh brought the first stills in the early 1800s. Illicit distilling is still around today.

The Corio Distillery in Geelong, established by the Distillers Company of Edinburgh, operated at a time when there was a worldwide shortage of whisky.

Norm Phillips, who worked there for more than 30 years and was general manager when the distillery closed in 1980, was told the brief from head office was to “make whisky no better than the worst in Scotland”. This edict was followed religiously. In its heyday, a Corio and Coke was one of the cheapest shouts around, a rough, blended whisky not for the discerning palate.

These days the Scots are very supportive of the Australian industry and are willing to share their knowledge; Kristy Lark, of Lark Distillery, received a scholarship to Scotland to learn more about distilling. Australian whiskies haven’t just made a favourable impression - Lark’s method of peating malt (more…)

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A small, private distillery on Scotland’s west coast has been recognised for it’s dynamic approach to making whisky.

At a ceremony in New York last night the world’s leading whisky publication has awarded Islay’s Bruichladdich Distillery with Pioneer of the Year.

The award was made by The Malt Advocate for the innovative distillation programme, imaginative ACE maturation policy, and novel bottling concepts.

The ceremony took place in Times Square’s Marriott Hotel in front of 2000 industry representatives, world-wide distillers and whisky fans.

Whisky guru Jim McEwan, Bruichladdich’s talented production director, collected the award: “We have the inspiration; we have the flexibility; we have the know-how.”

“It’s an honour for my team and I to be recognised for our hard work. Being this innovative does not sit easy within this industry so set in it’s standardising ways.”

“We love to challenge that fuddy-duddy image of single malt and add a little magic, some excitement. Sure, we ruffle a few feathers on the way, but that’s pioneering…”

“Our ‘what if?’ mentality encourages a hot-bed of new ideas, (more…)

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