The skills of whisky blending

October 20, 2010
Philippines Bar and Pub near Manila in Angeles City Clark Philippines shares a few interesting thoughts, reports, articles, ideas, suggestions and news about matters to do with dining, nightlife, restaurants, bars, pubs, food and beverage, wine and dine, parties and other aspects of the pub lifestyle.
The skill of Whisky blending
What is blending? What is its purpose?
A number of distilleries bottle and sell some of the whisky they distil for consumption as single or unblended whiskies. By far the greater part of their production, however, is used for the well-known blended Scotch Whiskies that are sold all over the world.
Blending whisky is a considerable art acquired only after years of experience.
A blend will consist of anything from 15 to 50 different single whiskies, combined in the proportions of a formula that is the secret of the blending company concerned.
Whiskies from different distilleries have a character of their own and, just as people of different temperaments are often incompatible, so some whiskies will not blend happily with certain others. The Malts and Grains in a blend must therefore, be chosen to complement and enhance their respective flavours. Blending is in no sense a dilution. The blender’s task is to combine different single whiskies, to produce a blend which brings out the best qualities of each of its constituent parts.
The aim of the blender is first to produce a whisky of a definite and recognisable character.
It is of the greatest importance that his blend should never vary from this standard, which his customers all over the world will have come to expect. His second aim is, therefore, to achieve consistency.
The blender must also decide when the different single whiskies are ready to be used in his blend. They are brought from the warehouse where they have been maturing to the blending establishment, where they are mixed together in a blending vat. They are usually returned to cask and left to ‘marry’ for a period of months, before bottling. Some companies prefer to vat their Malts and Grains separately and only bring the two together before bottling.
The combining of Malt with Malt or Grain with Grain is known as vatting.
When was blending introduced?
Blending was pioneered by Andrew Usher in Edinburgh in the early 1860s. It was only after this practice became common that a taste for Scotch Whisky spread first to England and then throughout the world.
The reason for this was that Pot Still Malt Whisky was inclined to be too strongly flavoured for everyday drinking, especially by people in sedentary occupations and warm climates. By combining Malt Whisky with Grain Whisky, which has less pronounced characteristics, the demand for a whisky that is milder in flavour and more suited to the conditions of modern life can be met.
What is the percentage of Malt and Grain Whiskies in blended Scotch Whisky?
There is no fixed percentage and the proportion differs from one blender to another. No brand owner is willing to reveal the proportions of the different whiskies used, but the blender determines the proportion according to the character he is seeking for his blend. This character is determined not only by the proportions of Malt and Grain Whisky which it contains, but also by factors such as the ages of the individual whiskies and the manner in which they combine to bring out the finest qualities in each other.

What is a de luxe blended Scotch Whisky?
It is a blend which contains a higher proportion of carefully selected older and, therefore, more expensive whiskies.
When there is an age label on a bottle of blended whisky, does it refer to the average age of the whiskies in that blend?
No. The law requires that when the age is declared on a label, it must refer to the youngest whisky in the blend.
For example, if a blend is described as an eight year old, the youngest whisky in that blend must have been matured for at least eight years.
Is it legal to sell whisky which is less than three years old for consumption in this country?
No. Although the spirit is distilled under the strict conditions applied to the production of Scotch Whisky, it is not entitled to be described as Scotch Whisky until it has matured for three years. This does not apply to compounded spirits such as gin, vodka and liqueurs.
This popular bar in Angeles City Clark Philippines “The London Pub” is a faithful rendition of an English-style “Gastropub” which is an upscale bar and family restaurant that breaks away from nightlife, pub and bar tradition and actually serves very good food. In this bar in Angeles Philippines, good pub food is compliment by good restaurant class service also. Located inside Clark Freeport’s golf and casino leisure estate Mimosa popular among local visitors from Manila, this Clark Freeport Zone bar and family restaurant pub serves as a meeting and dining venue for the residents of Pampanga Clark Freeport, neighboring Angeles City as well as a pit stop for visitors from Subic Bay Freeport Philippines.
Clark Freeport is a comfortable 70-minute drive up from Manila along the newly refurbished North Expressway NLEX. Once leaving Manila, the highway takes you straight into Clark Philippines without going any city, not even Angeles City, Pampanga. Clark Freeport Zone has its own Clark International Airport – DMIA – which enables visitors to Clark or Subic to fly directly into Clark from all major cities in Asia, connecting Clark to practically anywhere in the world.
True to the Gastropub standard, this premier bar in Philippines serves up delectable pub food, a few notches above the usual pub grub prevalent in other bars in Manila, Subic, Clark and Angeles Philippines. In addition to many local and imported beers, this upscale Philippines bar and pub offers a respectable wine list with several selections of wine served by the glass. At this upscale Angeles City Bar in Clark Philippines, Cuban cigars such as Cohiba, Partagas, Monte Cristo and Romeo et Julieta are available perhaps to complement a nice selection of Scotch, Cognac and Port. But probably the most famous beverage in this bar in Angeles Philippines is its vintage beer, a special kind of beers that actually improve with age inside the bottle, much like wine and vintage Champagne. Vintage beer is only available in this Clark Philippines bar and family restaurant pub.
Beers, cigars and fine pub food aside, this bar in Angeles Philippines Clark Freeport Zone also offers a refreshingly interesting wine list, a good selection of wine served by the glass also.
For more information about this bar in Angeles Philippines or any other matters to do with nightlife, entertainment, wine and dine, restaurant and wine in Clark Philippines, just email us at LondonPub@Yats-International.com.

Source: http://www.whisky-heritage.co.uk/scotch-whisky/whisky-blending.php
http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Although wines are widely available in most Asian countries, especially in Hong Kong which has eliminated import tariff on wines altogether, the availability of fine vintage wines is still very scarce. Most wine merchants offer big names, young vintages and cheaper wines for everyday consumption. Wine lovers and connoisseurs looking for something special often travel to Clark Pampanga Philippines to do their shopping at this Wine Shop in Manila.

At Yats Wine Cellars we believe that a little bit of knowledge in wine goes a long way to developing expectations in the wines we choose to buy or drink. Without expectation, it is difficult to really enjoy wine to its fullest. With this in mind, efforts are made by Yats Wine Cellars to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible for our clients to learn more about wine.

Birthday wine gifts is one of the most popular birthday gifts to give someone living in the Philippines. Fine Vintage wine from Yats Wine Cellars is a sure winner and it does not have to cost a great deal to send someone a bottle in Philippines

To avail of wine catering service of Yats Wine Cellars, just contact this wine supplier in Manila or Angeles Clark Philippines for a meeting to design a theme for the event. The venue for a wine event can be in the privacy of a home, the convenience of an office in Manila for example or in a clubhouse of a subdivision. Wine glasses and accessories necessary for wine service are included in the wine catering service. Moreover, interesting wine notes accompany the wine to help participants enjoy the event even more by learning a little bit about wine while enjoying the party. A wine steward will be present to serve the wine.

There is also an exciting collection of white wine from Burgundy at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Meursault, Chablis, Chassagne Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne and St. Aubin. Red wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhone are also available with a good depth of back vintages too. Visitors buy wine in Manila and Pampanga should not miss stopping at this wine shop for a few bottles of fine vintage wines to bring home.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.