Liquor Plus Radio

Liquor Plus Radio 10: Tasting Notes Mainetes 2006 Seleccion Two things of note about this wine… where it’s from and the fact that is a blend. Jumilla is an often overshadowed region of Spain, at least in our market. Jumilla is just south of La Mancha and is relatively non-desript. For years it produced wines for blending when other regions had short falls, but now with some serious care and attention the terroir is finding its stride. The climate can be very dry and warm and the soils pretty austere and this means that there is not much in the way of green dropping of shortcropping- the climate does it for you. The climate seems to concentrate the colour, aromas and flavours of the grapes… once they have had a chance to develop early in the season. The risk in the area is that it is too dry at the beginning of the season and the viticulturalists are playing catch up all season. The good news is that this is not the case in 2006. Secondlty this is a blend… I love blends, some of my fav all time wines are blends so… Blends are the bomb… when they are crafted well. Take for instance the Cal Y Canto red blend. Greater than the sum of its parts for sure. This wine is no different, in fact it really strikes me that this is a dialed up version of Cal Y Canto, afterall it is a blend of Merlot, Monastrell (Mouvedre) and Syrah. Punchy aromas of herbal, minty blackberry with a full bodied palate that offers some nice sweet tannins and a long juicy finish. Definitely let this wine breathe for 45minutes; I left if open for a day and it was even juicier and expressed more flavour after 24 hours open. Almost black in the glass this wine serves up power and robust flavours. The vintage says 2006 and I would say that not only is this wine enjoyable now, but will be even silkier in 6 years time. PRICE: $16.99 PAIR WITH Steak, Prime Rib, Lamb, Pork Tenderloin, BBQ, Pulled Pork, Beef Brisket, Beemster Cheese, Pasta with meat sauce and Chocolate shavings. Availability: This is a one time buy SCORE 8.6/$1 Liquor Plus Radio is hosted and Produced by Rod Phillips with technical assistance from Steve Jobs (RIP) via GarageBand, Mike & Cheryl DeWolfe and Mike Vardy. You can subscribe to Liquor Plus Radio by either going to our website www.liquorplus.ca clicking on View Community, then the LP Blog, and subscribing by RSS, Or you can subscribe through iTunes or at www.BluBrry .com. Liquor Plus Radio is sponsored by Liquor Plus. Liquor Plus has 5 Island Owned and Island Operated full service locations to serve you better. Liquor Plus Discover the Plus As always please let us know what you think as we know we can improve but need feedback to do that right. That’s all for now so take it easy and drink responsibly so we can all improve our quality of life… one sip at a time. Cheers

Show Notes Episode 10 Liquor Plus Radio Wine Talk Week 6/52 2012 It has been a few weeks since my last post. I think my body and brain just told me to relax a bit; dial it back as the creative juices had run dry. I’m not saying they are back but the caffeine cursing through my veins right now has got my fingers tapping keys. Last week I was confirmed as a Speaker at both EatDrinkTweet in Penticton (Feb. 17-19, 2012 http://allshewrote.ca/eatdrinktweet/) and then the following week on a retail panel at Vancouver International Playhouse Wine Festival (Feb. 27-March 4 http://playhousewinefest.com/). The central theme about each of my speeches will be how social media has changed the way we do business. For years so much of what we do in retail was invisible, the effect of which was that it was easy to focus solely on the measurable of sales, average ring, demographics, and a few other non-feeling results of the retail function. The expectation was that as long as the quality of the product met the quality of its production cycle, buyers and consumers would buy it. Things that were not measured were the human elements all the way from where the products were produced to who rang it through at the till. Those human elements are the conversations and relationships made and re-enforced; these are the things that get a product to market. It is easy to talk about the grape, the region, the soil, the malts, the hops, the yeast strain and the water. It is even easier to talk about where the wine maker, brew master, master blender go their training or the barrels that their products were aged in. It is much harder to speak of the catalytic moment where the product gained life and how that moment was captured and spread throughout the supply chain one relationship at a time, right through to the customer, or better yet, guest. That is the domain that Social Media has uncovered or shone the light on. Social Media has given everyone from farmer to retailer or restaurateur, to customer the ability to speak to one another. It allows for creativity to exist and come alive where it was previously squelched. I measure the richness of the conversation by the feeling I get when someone tells me that they loved a recommendation, or when I can grasp and share the vision of the ‘artisan’ who made the product. I don’t walk away from the engagement counting bottles sold or bought. I walk away feeling enriched by the conversation. I’m reminded of the line Anna Farmery uses to sign off her podcast “People won’t necessarily remember the things you say, or the things you do, they will remember how you made them feel”. I don’t want to leave you with the impression that Social Media is a magic pill for every company. The fact is that is you don’t want to actively and authentically engage with your customers and suppliers you won’t realize the benefits or richness that Social Media offers and it will work against you instead of for you. I firmly believe that if it were not for the lively interactions that we have with our customers, suppliers and colleagues, that our company, selection and proposition to the market would be lacking real soul. Liquor Plus Radio is hosted and Produced by Rod Phillips with technical assistance from Steve Jobs (RIP) via GarageBand, Mike & Cheryl DeWolfe and Mike Vardy. You can subscribe to Liquor Plus Radio by either going to our website www.liquorplus.ca clicking on View Community, then the LP Blog, and subscribing by RSS, Or you can subscribe through iTunes or at www.BluBrry .com. Liquor Plus Radio is sponsored by Liquor Plus. Liquor Plus has 5 Island Owned and Island Operated full service locations to serve you better. Liquor Plus Discover the Plus As always please let us know what you think as we know we can improve but need feedback to do that right. That’s all for now so take it easy and drink responsibly so we can all improve our quality of life… one sip at a time. Cheers

  Show Notes Wine Talk Jan 16 – Ghosts of Cultures Past There is lots of talk about the wine culture in Victoria, Duncan and in BC in general. There is also a lot of talk about the brewing culture that is rapidly developing here. Unfortunately that talk is either focussed or heavily laced with criticisms of government and its representatives in regulation and enforcement. I say unfortunately because the laws, rules and policies that are currently in place are not the current or previous governments making. They are in fact the offspring of the provincial and federal governments in the 1920’s. A time when 98% of all consumption was of beer and spirits. A time when bars and saloons could stay open 24/7 if they wanted to. A time when any Tom, Dick or Harry could make a batch of beer or whisky in their backyard. Consider for a moment that you are the premier and you one of the most significant problems you have is absenteeism, family abandonment, brawling in the streets that results in families being left without an income or any security. I think if I was faced with those appalling images that my response would be to severely curtail, even banish, all the images and opportunities that gave rise to these problems. It would be very easy to make the assumption that people drink to get drunk, drunk people cause problems, ergo solve the problem by either making it illegal for people to get drunk. If the people can’t control themselves then the government has a duty to. It would be so easy when faced with the pressures of those days to make the same judgment. Fast forward 90 years and the rules and regulations still reflect this assumption however societies approach to wine, beer and cocktails have significantly changed. I’m not saying that there is not a portion of society that struggles with the responsible consumption of alcohol, but I am saying that the overwhelming majority can and does drink responsibly and is asking for the wine, beer and cocktailing cultures to have a chance to blossom. Here is what I see, those that are currently apart of any of these cultures share a passion for the flavour, the lifestyle, the people and creativity inherent in them. These are not the people that are tagged in a drunken Facebook photo, or are bragging about how wasted they got over the weekend. Rather they are at the winemakers/brewers dinners, buying premium product, visiting the wineries and breweries, reading the blogs, engaging in the many online communities and planning a safe ride home. They are about the flavour, the passion in the people who make the product and the products themselves. I personally would love to be able to share a glass of fine rose at sunset on the beach with my wife, or perhaps take that special bottle of wine that I have been saving for a very special occasion to one of the many top quality restaurants. I would love to be at a Farmer’s Market of local vegetables, breads, cheese, meats and be able to taste a local wine to pair with my meal tonight. Sound good? Here is crux. Government officials, LDB administrators, LCLB inspectors are not evil they are just enforcing or abiding by the rules and policies set down for them generations ago. I think what is needed it the opportunity to start a dialogue. A better understanding as to where we are, where we want to go and how to craft an industry that is both vibrant and responsible; both exportable and responsive. Constructive and diligent dialogue must be started and the sooner the better. Liquor Plus Radio is hosted and Produced by Rod Phillips with technical assistance from Steve Jobs (RIP) via GarageBand, Mike & Cheryl DeWolfe and Mike Vardy. You can subscribe to Liquor Plus Radio by either going to our website www.liquorplus.ca clicking on View Community, then the LP Blog, and subscribing by RSS, Or you can subscribe through iTunes or at www.BluBrry .com. Liquor Plus Radio is sponsored by Liquor Plus. Liquor Plus has 5 Island Owned and Island Operated full service locations to serve you better. Liquor Plus Discover the Plus As always please let us know what you think as we know we can improve but need feedback to do that right. That’s all for now so take it easy and drink responsibly so we can all improve our quality of life… one sip at a time.  

  Episode 8 Show Notes Wine of the Week Jan 17-23, 2012: Pentage 2006 Barrel Femented Chardonnay This wine exhibits both the beauty and ugly side of the BC wine industry. The fact is that our local home grown industry is tiny in relation to California, South America or Europe. In fact I believe that the annual production in the tiny Italian region of Umbria more than doubles that of BC. So when there is a great vintage and a particular stellar wine from that vintage, demand is not restricted to our borders. The 2006 was by all accounts a great vintage for BC. You could go up and down the entire valley and find mind blowing wines. One in particular was found in the small winery on the Skaha Bench located just south of Penticton by the name of Pentage. The Pentage 2006 Barrell Fermented Chardonnay had gained some serious fans in Ontario and Quebec so much so that a request to ship to Quebec was made. You know the old saying as one door closes another opens, that is a perfect saying for this wine. For whatever reason this wine found its way back to BC and the Pentage winery. There isn’t a lot of space at the winery so the winery called a few partners and offered a great price to move the wine out of their warehouse to make room for this years wines. Fortunately we were lucky enough to jump on board and get 20 or so cases. The nose is rich and alluring with the aromas of baked apple, nutmeg and vanilla, while the palate bursts with fresh delicious apples, Bartlett pears and honeydew melons. This may all sound divine but the real magic, and why this wine could be fairly priced at $20 or higher, is the texture. This wine has not lost a beat. It is at once fresh with acidity but there are no harsh edges and a slight creamy-ness that is truly delightful. Get it while you can as this is a one time buy meaning that once it is gone there will be no more available to the market. BANG FOR THE BUCK SCORE: 8.15/$1 PRICE $14.99 +deposit PAIR WITH prawns and local crab, grilled chicken or roasted pork tenderloin with citrus salsa, fresh veggies and goat cheese. OCCASIONS Pot Lucks, Comfort food dinners, Casual get togethers . AVAILABILITY Only available in Private Liquor Stores  on in very small quantities TASTE this wine at all 5 Liquor Plus locations on Saturday Jan. 21, 2012 from 3-5pm Liquor Plus Radio is hosted and Produced by Rod Phillips with technical assistance from Steve Jobs (RIP) via GarageBand, Mike & Cheryl DeWolfe and Mike Vardy. You can subscribe to Liquor Plus Radio by either going to our website www.liquorplus.ca clicking on View Community, then the LP Blog, and subscribing by RSS, Or you can subscribe through iTunes or at www.BluBrry .com. Liquor Plus Radio is sponsored by Liquor Plus. Liquor Plus has 5 Island Owned and Island Operated full service locations to serve you better. Liquor Plus Discover the Plus As always please let us know what you think as we know we can improve but need feedback to do that right. That’s all for now so take it easy and drink responsibly so we can all improve our quality of life… one sip at a time.  

Episode 6 Show Notes Beer of the Week Jan 11-17, 2012: Spinnaker’s ‘Lions Head’ Cascadia Dark Ale Close your eyes for a moment and put yourself in the following position. It’s 1888 and you have been stationed in Bombay (Mumbai) India for the last 6 months. It’s 40C with the humidity of about 96% so it really feels like 48C. You have been standing in the direct Indian sun for over 2 hours and you are in your regimental dress uniform. The sweat is trickling down the back of your neck and your only thought turns to that cold brew in the mess that has just arrived from Jolly Old England. Your mind quickly retreats to the last beer shipment and you cringe as it had gone foul. 4 hours later you are pleasantly surprised that the beer is cold, it is tasty and fresh but there is something different about it. There is a definite bitterness to it for some serious hopping. What is this? This is your first taste of a new brew called October Beer from the Bow Brewery. That beer is what we today call IPA or India Pale Ale. The brew of the week does not have nearly as dramatic a start, but it is a harbinger of what will surely be a new breed or category of brews. This weeks Brew of the Week is a Cascadia Dark Ale that has evolved from Northwest India Pale Ale. The catalyst for this style is the unique flavour that hops grown in the Pacific Northwest have and how well the citrus grapefruit tone pair with dark malts. The body is heavier than traditional IPA but lighter than Porters and Stouts. The second thing you will notice is the carbonation. Designed to be served colder, there is greater carbonation. This weeks Brew of the Week is the Spinnaker’s ‘Lions Head’ Cascadia Dark Ale which gets its name from a pub located in Robson BC which just so happens to be run by Spinnaker’s proprietor Paul Hadfield’s, daughter Carly. The brew is richly textured with bright citrus tones that float on a body of roasted, smokey, chocolately malt flavours. The finish is clean which makes this an easy brew to pair with a number of dishes... I like that. I’m really tired of brews or wines that are only good for sipping on their own... that is not my world...my world is about a quality of life that is always better when shared with others over a meal and great glass of beer or wine. This beer is only available in the 650ml bottle format, which you just looks better on the table vs a 6 pack of cans or bottles. PRICE $5.99 +deposit PAIR WITH big beef burgers, pork tenderloin with a cumin rub, meat lovers pizza, rich, strong cheeses. OCCASIONS this is a great brew for Pizza Night, Family Movie Night, Casual Get Togethers, Simple Dinner parties and evenings. AVAILABILITY Only available in the 650ml bottle in Private Liquor Stores  and by the pint at Spinnaker’s Gasto Pub in Vic West. TASTE this brew at all 5 Liquor Plus locations on Saturday Jan. 14, 2012 from 3-5pm Liquor Plus Radio is hosted and Produced by Rod Phillips with technical assistance from Steve Jobs (RIP) via GarageBand, Mike & Cheryl DeWolfe and Mike Vardy. You can subscribe to Liquor Plus Radio by either going to our website www.liquorplus.ca clicking on View Community, then the LP Blog, and subscribing by RSS, Or you can subscribe through iTunes or at www.BluBrry .com. Liquor Plus Radio is sponsored by Liquor Plus. Liquor Plus has 5 Island Owned and Island Operated full service locations to serve you better. Liquor Plus Discover the Plus As always please let us know what you think as we know we can improve but need feedback to do that right. That’s all for now so take it easy and drink responsibly so we can all improve our quality of life… one sip at a time.

Show Notes Wine of the Week Jan 10-16, 2012: La Chamiza Bonarda When you drive through the streets of Mendoza Argentina there is a clear Italian influence on the architecture and cutlture. Many of the street names are Italian names which makes perfect sense when you consider that the majority of the immigrants that built Mendoza came from Italy in the 1860’s. A whole bunch came from the Marche region which is located on Italy’s East Coast. With that pedigree it is not too hard to see how such a vibrant wine culture has developed in Mendoza and surrounding area. One of the many gifts bestowed upon the area were some grapes, namely Bonarda. What?  You say... Bonarda, what the heck is Bonarda. It is said that Bonarda has it’s home in the hills and valleys on the border between France and Italy and is known as Charbono in California. When speaking to those in the know in Argentina they can confirm that it is not Croatina which comes from Lombardy and is likely Bonarda Piedmontese. In any case Bonarda, until recently replaced by Malbec, was the most widely planted grape in Argentina although you wouldn’t know it as it was used mostly for bulk table wines of varying qualities. Today, however, the new generation of wine maker’s is crafting varietal wines out of Bonarda that are wonderfully flavourful and rich. In fact on the buying trip I did last May, I tasted over 700 wines in 10 days and although there were numerous to die for Malbec’s, what really showed through was Bonarda’s. By nature Bonarda lends itself to our palates. We tend to like the look of inky purple wines in the glass (downside is that it can leave a nasty stain and has a penchant for falling on white silk blouses, expensive white tailored shirts and of course, white carpet), it gives us a feeling of depth and mystery. Careful though as I find that there have been many times that I have spied a ‘black’ wine and laden it with great expectations only to be met with a thin, tannic, acidic purple stain on my teeth. Anyway when it is short cropped the colour can be quite intense. The nose is often cherry, plum and bright berry, almost grapey which is good as that is what it often tastes like to. The texture makes it perfect for pairing with lighter cuisine as Bonarda is naturally low in tannin but with moderate acidity (similar in many ways to Barbera). The mouthfeel is fresh and alive and the finish is juicy but not long. Your palate will never likely tire from too much alcohol or tannin on this wine. I would happily pair this with pork, pizza, pasta, ham, roasted poultry, and cheeses like Gouda and Cheddar. The only drawback to Bonarda in BC is that there really only a few available, so the full spectrum is not available to experiment with... allow I’m doing my part to change this. Now about the La Chamiza Bonarda. La Chamiza sources their grapes from the Tupungato and Argrelo districts which are the same areas that luminary wineries like Catena source their grapes from. Bonarda is naturally late ripening so the best quality will come from regions that are warm, dry and have a long growing season. This describes Tupungato to a ‘T’.... pun intended. You may remember La Chamiza from a few years back as they were in the BC market in a big, cheap way. La Chamiza is not a low end producer. They may low key, but they are not low end. So they pulled out of the market for a couple of years in the hopes of re-establishing themselves as a quality/value producer but not a cheap one. If the Bonarda is an indication we will start to see some of the best options from this winery and region. The nose is big cherry and bright berry, with hints of grape jelly. While the palate if full of rich juicy flavours and a hint of delicate purple flowers. The texture is bright and fresh due to the acidity, and the finish is nicely juicy thanks to the low tannins. In relation to other wines in the $15 range I have to say that this really delivers, the only problem is that this was a one time buy and once it is gone it won’t come back for several months. PRICE $15.99 PAIR WITH pizza, pastas like lasagne and meat sauces, roasted chicken, pork chops, pork tenderloin, Barbecue Ribs, Burgers. OCCASIONS this is a great wine for Pizza Night, Family Movie Night, Casual Get Togethers, Simple Dinner parties and evenings. AVAILABILITY Special Order purchase so once it is gone it won't be back until the next vintage. Not available in BC Liquor Stores TASTE this wine at all 5 Liquor Plus locations on Saturday Jan. 14, 2012 from 3-5pm Liquor Plus Radio is hosted and Produced by Rod Phillips with technical assistance from Steve Jobs (RIP) via GarageBand, Mike & Cheryl DeWolfe and Mike Vardy. You can subscribe to Liquor Plus Radio by either going to our website www.liquorplus.ca clicking on View Community, then the LP Blog, and subscribing by RSS, Or you can subscribe through iTunes or at www.BluBrry .com. Liquor Plus Radio is sponsored by Liquor Plus. Liquor Plus has 5 Island Owned and Island Operated full service locations to serve you better. Liquor Plus Discover the Plus As always please let us know what you think as we know we can improve but need feedback to do that right. That’s all for now so take it easy and drink responsibly so we can all improve our quality of life… one sip at a time.

Show Notes: Liquor Plus Radio Episode 4: Brew of the Week Jan. 4-Jan. 10, 2012- Phillips & Garrison Brewing ‘Mash Up’ Baltic Porter Program Note: Liquor Plus Radio was designed to be raw and done in one take. Authenticity is the name of this game... Collaborative brewing efforts are growing in popularity amongst craft brewers and I can see why. They offer the same kind of cache and imagery that a winery gets when they speak of a Single Vineyard wine. The collaboration between the Phillips Brewery and Garrison of Halifax is easy to understand. Both are at the heart of their communities growing brewing culture, both got started facing similar financial and licensing challenges, both are primarily ale houses, and both are out of the box thinkers when it comes to crafting brews that are full of flavour, and if you have ever met either Matt Phillips of the Phillips Brewery or Daniel Girard of Garrison Brewing, you know you have met two kindered spirits. Why Porter… good question! Porter is traditionally brewed used lager yeasts and dark malts that results in a smoother texture and flavours of dark chocolate or cocoa, coffee and roasted nuts. The theory goes that Porter got its name because the street and river porter’s of 18th century London popularised it; nice. Cozy thoughts but I’m not so sure of the truth in this. Baltic Porter is also traditionally brewed using lager yeasts and dark malts but is much stronger. Back in the day this was to insure that the beer could survive the overseas trip from Finland, Estonia or Sweden over the North Sea to England. Today the extra alcohol simply adds more body to the brew. In terms of taste, first thing first, make sure you have it at the right temperature. Porters and Baltic Porters should be enjoyed at room temperature. Room temperature allows you to enjoy the complete texture, flavours, and complexities of the brew. Porters are ‘cozy’ beers and chilling makes them as cozy as sitting on an ice block with the air conditioning on. The texture is smooth and languid while the flavours feature dark chocolate, figs and hints of fresh ground coffee. Just on the finish you will notice a hint of black licorice that brings it all together. For the foodgasm we are all on a quest to get, pair this with a good hearty stew, casserole or pot pie. Rich cheeses like Beemster and aged Gouda rock with this brew. As for desserts go with choocalate cake or brownies, even some truffles would be heaven with this. As our Brew of the Week you can taste this beer in everyone of our 5 locations this Saturday January 7 from 3-5pm. Liquor Plus Radio is hosted and Produced by Rod Phillips with technical assistance from Steve Jobs (RIP) via GarageBand, Mike & Cheryl DeWolfe and Mike Vardy. You can subscribe to Liquor Plus Radio by either going to our website www.liquorplus.ca clicking on View Community, then the LP Blog, and subscribing by RSS, Or you can subscribe through iTunes or at www.BluBrry .com. Liquor Plus Radio is sponsored by Liquor Plus. Liquor Plus has 5 Island Owned and Island Operated full service locations to serve you better. Liquor Plus Discover the Plus As always please let us know what you think as we know we can improve but need feedback to do that right. That’s all for now so take it easy and hopefully, we can all improve our quality of life… one sip at a time.

Show Notes: Liquor Plus Radio Episode 3: Wine of the Week Jan. 3-Jan. 9, 2012- Wild Goose Vineyards 2010 As many of you know I’m not a huge fan of Pinot Gris and it is not because there is a dearth of great options. The reason is that the majority are poser wines without any soul. Harsh…. Maybe, but there are too many watery, fruit cocktail syrup versions on the market and they are crowding out the few spectacular ones that are on the market. Wild Goose vineyards is located in the Okanagan Falls region of the Okanagan Valley. They have won plenty of awards for the wines sourced from the God’s Mountain Vineyards which, incidentally is home to one of my other favourite BC Pinot Gris’s – Bartier Scholefield – yum.  Their Rieslings are too die for and are pretty hard to get as they can sell out at the winery in the blink of an eye. What makes this Pinot Gris different is not only the terroir, but also that it has undergone Battonage. Battonage is a winemaking term that describes the process of sur Lie ageing a wine. Simply put when the wine maker decides that a white wine has the umpf or the guts to handle he or she will let it age in barrel with the dead yeast cells. Every so often they gently stir it so that all the wine in the barrel gets the benefit. The result, and this totally requires top quality grapes, is a bright fresh fruit wine with the added bonus of a creamy texture. Most Pinot Gris’s feature brisk acidity and flavours of pear and white peach. This one has bright acidity which makes the fruit flavours of apricot, Bartlett pear, White peach and apple taste fresh instead of baked or cooked, however the bonus here is in the texture. The Battonage gives this wine a creamy texture to it which is not only enjoyable, but means you can pair the wine with some heartier foods. Pair this with halibut done in butter with a side of fruit salsa and oh my goodness. This also works with roasted poultry, hearty vegetarian dishes and creamy cheeses. This is a great wine for Culinary nights, Date Nights, Gift Giving, Going to Friends for Dinner, Family Dinners, Afternoon Nibbling, Cocktail Parties. The Bang for the Buck Score for this wine is 7.65/$1 – pretty damn good in relation to a lot of other Pinot Gris on the market today. As our Wine of the Week you can taste this beer in everyone of our 5 locations this Saturday January 7 from 3-5pm. Liquor Plus Radio is hosted and Produced by Rod Phillips with technical assistance from Steve Jobs (RIP) via GarageBand, Mike & Cheryl DeWolfe and Mike Vardy. Liquor Plus Radio is now on iTunes and you can subscribe by going to iTune Store/ Podcasts and typing in Liquor Plus Radio. As always please let us know what you think as we know we can improve but need feedback to do that right. That’s all for now so take it easy and hopefully, we can all improve our quality of life… one sip at a time.

  Maybe it is the nature of the business in BC or maybe it’s just that there are millions and millions of choices for you to spend your Whisky dollar on and the law of averages eventually takes over. What I mean by this is if there are 600 choices of Canadian Whiskys, the chances are not good that the best bang for the buck will necessarily be the leading, heavily advertised brands. I think this plays out beautifully in the most recent edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. In the Bible there are 371 pages of reviews of whisky’s from around the world. In the forward the author notes that he tasted over 4500 whisky’s over the year, although I’m certain this is how many he reviewed in this years bible. Of the presumably 4500 whiskys reviewed a mere 250 are scored 94 out of 100 or higher. I was very surprised to see a number of the luminary whisky’s getting an average to under no circumstances let this pass your lips. But what really gets me going are the whiskys that are wall flowers in our consciousness but are highly rated by Mr. Murray. A perfect example of this is the Alberta Premium Rye. Sits on the shelf for $23.99, which is lowest price for a bottle 750ml spirit in BC, which is a whole bunch cheaper than items like Crown Royal, Wiser’s Deluxe, Forty Barrel Creek, etc. It is Canada’s only Rye that is 100% Rye but it is entombed in a bottle and package that screams beige.  I remember being at a tasting with Jim Murray when exclaimed that the Alberta Premium Rye is a true statement not just about whisky but about Canadians as well. We love to understate ourselves. We apologize for being outstanding (except when it comes to hockey). It seems very difficult for us to believe that our own products are superior to those that are imported. With all this in mind here is an excerpt of what Mr. Murray, heck let’s call him Jim as he seems to like us Canadians... “throbbing pulsing rye on a variety of levels: full and juicy, dull and dusty,  firm and flinty. Unique and unmistakeable.” He goes on to describe his encounter, here on Vancouver Island, with the whisky, a robin some finches, an Arbutus Tree and the “chilly spring air”. Then he gets into the essence of his review “...like the robin and finches from the Arbutus, true to nature: it is a true rye whisky, not a misnomer like the rest. The 100% Rye grain used, fortified in its mouth watering  delivery by the usage of a degree  of malted rye offers flavours unlimited. Alberta Premium is no longer  just a great Canadian Whisky. It has become a national treasure.” SCORE: 95.5 out of 100 WOW – high praise indeed. I have to say that this is my Canadian Whisky of choice as well. First because of the price and that means I can make more people happier at a lower price- an economist will tell you that this is the definition of true wealth.  You can be a hipster and create a funky cocktail or just have it with a dash of water, or you can mix with with 7Up, Coke or Ginger Ale. Our job in the stores is to help people find the best product for their needs for the best price. We are often suggesting lower price items if people are simply going to mix with a glass full of Coke or Juice, and will suggest something else if the spirit needs to stand on its own merits. When it comes to Canadian Whisky the products are one and the same. My recommendation is buy and share.