Theme: “Tasmanian Whisky - the state of play”
When: Monday 8th November
Time: 6.30 for 7pm
Where: Lark Distillery
Cost: $75 on the night

A chance to catch up on Tasmanian whisky!  See what is being offered!
Please let me know if you can make it and how many guest you’ll be bringing.
Please book in early as seats are limited.

RSVP to: richard@twas.com.au

Regards,
Richard

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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 is bottled with the name and age of the contributor.

The original idea came from an (unverified) story he heard about a pharmaceutical company that supposedly set up a factory next to an old people’s home and would swap cushions and soft toys for the residents’ urine. They’d then process the urine to remove the chemicals that had passed straight through the dilapidated endochrine systems of the patients, which could then be put straight back into new medicine.

The whisky, as you might have guessed, won’t be widely marketed conventionally. In fact, it’s more of an art piece, asking, Gilpin says, whether it’s “plausible to suggest that we start utilising our water purification systems in order to harvest the biological resources that our elderly already process in abundance”.

It’ll be exhibited, with tasting sessions, at 100% Materials, a design and architecture event in London in September, and the Abandon Normal Devices festival in Manchester in October. If you’re not keen on trying it yourself, then you can still go along and view the three films that Gilpin will be showing alongside the whisky, which each outline one aspect of living with the disease.

_{Article Courtesy of: Wired.co.uk
Source: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2010-08/24/pissky
Author: Duncan Geere}

Tasmania is fast gathering a reputation as a producer of premium single malt whiskies. There are six distilleries and a seventh isn’t far away.

There are about two dozen distilleries across the country, but with a quarter of them based in Tasmania, already some connoisseurs are labelling what used to be called the apple isle - the whisky island.

• Video: Tasmania’s maturing whisky trade (7.30 Report)
  

Tim Duckett is a member of the Tasmanian Whisky Appreciation Society, a group that samples and analyses both local and international drinks.

Mr Duckett firmly believes the state’s climatic conditions, barley and clean water make the colonial product comparable to whiskies from more traditional territory.

“They seem to produce a depth of character that I believe makes us comparable, or I’m going to go out on a limb here and say superior to some of the whiskies that are produced in Scotland,” he said.

“Our industry is only 16 years of age - theirs is 400 and we’re catching up very, very rapidly with the qualities of the whisky that we produce.”

In the central highlands is one of the industry’s newest players, Nant Distillery, based on the old Nant Estate, near Bothwell.

It was set up by Queensland property developer Keith Batt who intends to move down when things warm up later this year.

The distillery bottled its first release in early July, and it’s receiving rave reviews.

One thing that sets this producer apart is the colonial methods still used in the production of the spirit. A water powered flour mill is used to grind the barley that goes into the whisky.

Despite their antique methods, distiller Chris Condon reckons all the distilleries have one thing in common.

“Quality I think is the aim of the Tasmanian industry as a whole, so we’re only ever going to be a boutique set up, but we want to get the quality right,” he said.

Bill Lark had that in mind when he got the ball rolling nearly two decades ago. He’s now widely considered the godfather of Tasmania’s whisky industry. In 1992 he had the law changed to allow distilling.

“Luckily for us we had a couple of very friendly politicians in Duncan Kerr and Barry Jones in Canberra that saw the potential of the industry in Australia and very quickly changed the distillation act of 1901,” he said.

Lark Whisky uses peat smoked barley during the distillation process. Mr Lark digs it up from a bog in the highlands with an antique peat shovel. He reckons it’s one of the reasons for his success.

“When other people from around the world taste Australian whisky, when they taste Tasmanian whiskies they ask the question what is it that makes your whisky so special?” he said.

“Well you know, you’ve only got to come to a place like this and you’ll soon realise why our whisky is so special.”

Mr Lark’s expertise hasn’t gone un-noticed. He’s helping to set up a boutique distillery near St Andrews in Scotland.

“It’s really nice to go back to Scotland and be able to offer something in return for the help that they gave us,” he said.

“What I’ve found is, rather than pooh-poohing us silly colonials for having a go at making whisky, they’re relishing this relationship that’s building between Scotland and Tasmania.”

_{Article courtesy of Martin Cuddihy
ABC News - 7.30 Report}

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

The Glenfiddich, distilled before World War II, went under the hammer for £25,200, including the buyer’s premium, at Bonhams’ whisky sale.

The 70cl bottle, dating to 1937, was one of 61 bottles produced and was part of a batch of 10 released in 2001.

Experts said the single malt smelled of newly dug peat, burnt leather and oak.

They said it tasted of treacle toffee, creme brulee and toasted almonds.

Bonhams said the Glenfiddich, which was initially valued at £15,000 to £20,000, was one of the most expensive bottles of whisky ever sold at auction.

A world record £29,400 was paid in 2007 for a 19th century bottle of Bowmore, according to the auction house.

Bonhams’ whisky specialist Martin Green said:

“The moment I saw it I knew we had something special and I’m delighted that it reached such a high price.
“Even in these difficult economic times, very high quality items will still excite a lot of interest and this was a truly exceptional opportunity to acquire an exceptional bottle.”

_{Article courtesy of BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/scotland/edinburgh_east_and_fife/10334239.stm}