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May 27, 2021May 27, 2021

Glencairn: Whiskey | Bourbon | Scotch – e109

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episode 109 season 3

Whiskey Tastings:

Why whiskey or is it burban?
What did you learn about Bourbon scotch & whiskey
Where do these originate?
Why did you choose the ones we’re trying today?
Why the order?
Price point?
Describe the glasses – shape
Water?

First time my hubby takes a spot on my microphone..todays show is about Bourbon, Scotch and Whiskey or whisky? I’d like to Welcome my husband Jeff to the show, you’ve heard his name over the course of the last 99 shows here and there. He listens to the show sometimes and gives me feedback on the episodes where I’ve recorded him and some of our intimate discussions…but todays show is different today we are doing a tasting episode. A few burbans, and scotches to wetted our pallets – enjoy the episode. This episode was originally recorded later in 2019…

Well our first interview together now you finally know what my husband sounds like and thanks for joining us on our first whisky tasting – it was very enjoyable to learn and try these out…not sure they are for me but I’m always up for trying something new. If you’ve gone down this bourbon rat hole, let me know what you’ve tried and enjoyed. I’m thinking there will be more experimentation in the future with my hubby. If you have any questions about whiskeys please check out the show links to everything we’ve discussed today and drop a comment or question and we will get back to you 🙂

Some cool things to check out…happy tasting!

I’d like to Welcome my husband Jeff to the show, you’ve heard his name over the course of the last 99 shows here and there. He listens to the show sometimes and gives me feedback on the episodes where I’ve recorded him and some of our intimate discussions…but todays show is different today we are doing a tasting episode. A few burbans, and scotches to wetted our pallets – enjoy the episode. This episode was originally recorded later in 2019…

Break One

Monkey Shoulder is a blended malt scotch a product of multiple single malt scones – in this case of Money should it’s from their 2 neighbouring speyside distilleries includes whisky from Kinivie, Balvenie and Glenfiddich, this particular distillery has been opened since 1990.

Break Two

Mash is made from grain

Scott whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least 3 years to All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years. Any age statement on a bottle of Scotch whisky, expressed in numerical form, must reflect the age of the youngest whisky used to produce that product. A whisky with an age statement is known as guaranteed-age whisky. These barrels are USED

Break Three:

These barrels for example Jack Daniels cost roughly $160 these are the original JD barrels they used to age their whisky – for $300-$600 you can find quality barrels that are not sanded or polished as they are used for function and storage. They can only be used once when making the Jack Daniels batches- then they are sold to hot sauce makers, beer brewers and Scotch whiskey distillers who will reuse them…In Kentucky you can only use the barrel once, Burbon has to be in a brand new barrel – scotch cannot be used in the brand new barrel…

Break 4

Glencairn – spell it – these glasses are the coolest scotch, bourbon and whiskey tasting nipping glasses. A Glencairn is a tombstone erected on the highest mountain peaks to mark the grave sights and honour fallen Scottish warriors. The glass was designed with aid of master blenders from five of the largest whisky companies in Scotland – in 2001. Specifically for ‘nosing’ the whisky sample. The glass itself is small just holds 6 ounces when plumb full but typically should only hold 1.75 ounces. Guess what this glass on the Queen’s award for Innovation in 2006.

Break 5

We’ve all heard the word proof before when describing alcohol or moonshine even. The term proof dates back to the 16th century in England or 1848 in the USA – when spirits were taxed at different rates depending on their alcohol content and proof was on a score of 0 – 200. Originating in England proof was equal to 1.82 times the alcohol by volume ABV or generally twice. 100 proof would be to the equivalent in today measurement at approx 57% Alcohol by Volume or ABV. So if 100 was the middle anything above this when tested in a burn or no burn test which was based on alcohol igniting was said to be above proof.

Break 6

Whiskey or Whisky

– the word whisky is the spirit or alcohol that is used as the base this word actually just means water of life in Gaelic. The spelling tells you the location it originated from whiskey is for Ireland and whisky without the e is used in all other whisky producing regions. Scots, Canada and Japan to not use the ‘e’. So the top 9 are Irish Whiskey (e) Scotch Whisky (no e) Japanese Canadian, Burbon Whiskey (American), Tennessee (American)Whiskey Rye Whiskey (American) and then blended whiskey – made for cocktails

Break 7

When you smell whisky with your mouth open the alcohol in the whisky doesn’t burn your nose…and you can smell the floral ness of it

Break 8

Jeff’s so accurate in his details, the level of smokiness is of a whisky is determined by the time the barley grain is exposed to the pungent peat smoke during drying. Damp malt is usually dried for approximately 30 hours. Others dries its malt over peat fire for about 18 of these 30 hours, some only use only unpeated fire. Scotland has large peat bogs wich grow approx 1mm a year. – so a 3 meter peat bog takes 3000 years to grow!

Break 9

Okay so here’s a bit of a breakdown, alcohol vs sugar…the spirit should not have any sugar in it like gin, vodka, whiskey – unless you add mix of course. White wine is approx 3 grams per 5 ounces and and beer is approx 5 grams/12 ounce. For wine, just to clarify this comment, also Alcohol levels in wine are directly correlated with the amount of sugar that’s developed in the grapes at harvest time: the higher the sugar levels, the higher the potential alcohol. This doesn’t mean higher alcohol wines are sweeter, though sometimes this is the case.

Break 10

There are 5 regions in Scotland where whisky without the e remember comes from Campbeltown, Highland, Islay, Lowland and speyside

Break 11

Markers mark does indeed come from Loretto, Kentucky, USA by Beam Suntory originally called th eBurks Distillery and production began in 1954 so not quite hundred of years old but definitely getting up there. It had a slogan of “ it Tastes expensive…and it is”

Also one of the most unusual qualities about markers mark is that no rye is used as part of the math over 70% is corn and it’s aged for about 6 years.

Break 12

Makers Mark fires each barerel for a customary number 3 char in just 40 seconds – new American white oak is seasoned outdoors for nine months, including the summer before the firing takes place. Also all barrels are rotated by hand in their warhorse ensure proper exposure to different temperatures first with a minimum of 3 hot Kentucky summers on the top of the rack house.

Break 13:

Yes aficionados of bourbon and corn whisky (at least 51% corn) say it’s sweeter and more robust in

Whisky room – try all sorts of options here with different woods they use to smoke the glasses and different types of bitters, mixes etc. something fun to maybe try with friends…

A bit of a re-cap – we tasted Monkey shoulder $60/bottle Blended Malt Scotch – Genfiddich 18 year Scotch $130/bottle – GlenFarclas single malt scotch 21 year about $150/bottle – makers Mark Burbon $50/ bottle.

Links:

Glencairn Whisky Glass – Even the queen voted for this innovation!

Whiskey or Whisky – Where is it from?

Scotch Whisky Regions: Where and their specific names.

Top 9 Whiskey you need to know – these are the must try

Scotch Whiskey – What is this?

Smoke Whisky – significance of Peat Moss

Promo Clip

Eerie & Absurd Podcast – give it a listen Website @ EERIE & ABSURD Instagram @ Eerie & Absurd

Follow Me:

Website @ ValerieMoss.ca

Instagram @ValerieJMoss

Facebook @VSMoss

YouTube @ValerieJMoss

Pinterest @VJMoss

The show music is call ‘Girl’ by Text me Records and Leviathe

The cover art, storytelling and production is by me, Valerie Moss.

Stay Tuned for the next season, season 3 on Valerie’s Variety Podcast with your host me, Valerie Moss from Studio 17

April 18, 2021April 3, 2021

Book Review: Limbo by Marko Pandza – e105s3

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episode105 season3

Book Review and sneak Peak into this incredible horror story, Limbo by Marko Pandza

Limbo Book Review

Hey there, it’s me, Valerie Moss, todays is a follow up show to yesterdays interview with Marko Panza and his book Limbo, we’re going to review the book and get a sneak peak at chapter 1. Now that you met the author let’s meet Grim the Reaper and his love Dora and see what other readers have to say about the book.

Again, this isn’t a family friendly episode, soooo….there’s swear words that I do not beep and other scary language.

Here’s the retail…

First when you get his book, it’s not the average paperback size it’s slightly large, the cover is ominous with a dark figure, and white orb surrounding it – you can’t really tell if it’s walking away or towards to you, colour greyscale. Also the print is a dark black, on white paper again not your typical paperback colour.

Marko has laid the book out in a today time slot, the present and then a yesteryear time slot, way in the past, however in limbo you aren’t really sure about the timing of anything.

Those of you who like to get into a good scary story, not like a mystery more like a horror, this book will put your detective skills to the test and those that like a movie director like Tim Burton and or Rob Zombie, this will lend itself nicely.

When he goes back and forth in time, and introduces you to these two worlds the living and the dead…

Marko has a way of perpetuating your ideas of the characters in the book, like Dora she is so sure of herself it even scares her assistant, poor RAMBO who’s always yelling you root for him and people do the strangest things to him…the people in limbo are being watched by….. well I can’t give that part away.

The love story portion of this book, probably hits home to almost anyone who reads it because…it’s sort of envious if you were Jekle and your partner was Hyde.

The redest of red hair and smashing of canvas paintings always struck me as an interesting side story that I was intrigued by. Here’s a glimpse of Dora

One of the places in the book that has sat with me is when Caitlin and Grim are walking…

They stopped talking and continued their slow walk, Caitlin periodically swallowing the threat of nausea. Grim was impressed to see her side-stepping knee-high piles of petrified chicken bones and mummified bread littering the path as if she were on a track, further evidence of her tenure in the Den.

Here’s a few reviews on amazon:

1. I don’t usually read horror novels especially…

2. Truly gripping from start too finish, a perfect blend of humour….

3. Loved it, loved the imagery, loved the symbolism…..

And here’s my review as the producer we always read the book first then we get into the production of it. When I read this book, it was an instant page turner because of the two universes and the time shifting between current and past, love and hate the have’s and have-nots. It kept me wanting more and trying to figure out Grimm’s plan and his relationship with the cop.

Thanks for listening to the show today, links to Marko and is book Limbo are in my show notes and we will close this episode with a listen to chapter 8. Appetite in it’s entirety to tempt you further. Buy the book Limbo by Marko Pandza here

Book Review of Limbo…

Follow Me:

Website @ ValerieMoss.ca

Instagram @ValerieJMoss

Facebook @VSMoss

YouTube @ValerieJMoss

Pinterest @VJMoss

The show music is call ‘Girl’ by Text me Records and Leviathe

The cover art, storytelling and production is by me, Valerie Moss.

Stay Tuned for the next season, season 3 on Valerie’s Variety Podcast with your host me, Valerie Moss from Studio 17

April 7, 2021March 22, 2021

Interview Author: Amanda Steel & Ghost of Me – e102s3

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episode 102 season 3

Hey Everyone, it’s Valerie here, todays show is an interview with The Author of Ghost of Me, Amanda Steel. She is an author and copywriter living in Manchester, UK. Ghost of Me is her second novel to be converted into an audiobook. She also has a third in production. As the co-host of a book review podcast, she has become an avid listener of audiobooks, to ensure that she always has enough books to review each month. She finds she can often listen while doing some more mundane tasks, which don’t require a lot of thinking, can’t we all agree with this?

1. Intro 1:13.0 todays show I have a special guest, Amanda Steel author of Ghost of me a book I had the pleasure of producing, it was my first fiction book and it had a character named Valerie, how fitting right? Well we will get to know Amanda and the goods behind this story, the characters and her love of writing..

2. Speakeasy have you ever been to a spoken word night? I’ve been to an open mic night with muscian which would be a similar theme when I checked out their fb page (link in show notes)…https://www.facebook.com/speakeasymanchester/ it’s a large living room setting and has a great vibe by the pictures anyway…

3. We are going to touch on covid, before we do though I just want to let you know that I originally recorded this in June you know in the middle of this pandemic — this show was edited late in 2020 when the 2nd wave is in full swing across the world and currently calgary where I live is in a semi lockdown state – we cannot socialize with any one out of our cohorts – yes weird word I know but we cannot socialize with anyone out of our home residence – at the time of this editing, the world has reached 76, million covid cases and 1.6 million fatalities – it has touched the world. It’s interesting listening to Amanda and how she knows people. And the discussion about masks is so suprising – especially mid pandemic.

4. Amanda lives in Manchester UK which has a population of 2.7 million and their case count as of today in late dec 2020 is 35,000 active cases.

End, well thank you to Amanda Steel for taking the time to be interviewed on my show, I loved talking to her about her book and getting to the know the author, the first author who I read a fictional book for – it was such a great experience for me…to conclude I thought I’d play you chapter 1 and if you’re interested in hearing more, please let me know and I can give you a free download credit to the complete audio book.