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ARDBEGGEDDON VI
THE ANNUAL CLAN GATHERING OF THE PLOWED SOCIETY
Las Vegas, Nevada
January 7 - 11, 2005

THE TIME OF LIVER PUNISHMENT IS AGAIN AT HAND
(Ref:  The liver is evil and must be punished - FX)

Here we go again...  this year we have highspeed internet connections at the 2005 House of Ardbeggeddon so hopefully I can tear myself away from the malts to post updates from time to time.   Other avenues of malt porn direct from the City of Sin will likely be posted on http://www.single-malt.com/cgi-bin/guestbook.cgi

Pray for our evil livers!

Here's FX setting up the PLOWED altar that he created for A5.  You should have seen it when the lights synchronized.

Lipping the Local Barley

Usigetom brought the Local Barley and opened it immediately upon arrival, much to the horrified dismay of the assembled PLOWEDsters.  Here are some of the "publishible" photos of what immediately transpired.  Malt porn at it's best!


Proud to be PLOWED!

MY TOP 10 FAVORITE DRAMS FOR A6 IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER

1.  Springbank 1965, 36 yo, 46%, Murray McDavid
2.  Longmorn 1981 20 yo OMC
3. Ardbeg Kildalton, 1980, 24 yo, 57.6%, OB
4.  Bowmore, 1969/2002, 32 yo, 49.9%, Cask 6082, Duncan Taylor Peerless
5.  Caperdonich,  Duncan Taylor Peerless
6. Springbank 32 yo, 46% OB (new release)
7.  Ardbeg 21 yo Committee Dram, 56.3%, OB
8.
9.
10.
 

 

Here is the groaning board of single malts...  check out the tarp...

The predeclared malt list this year is a bit smaller than usual (only ~200) when Alan closed the list on Wednesday.  Most of the primary new releases from 2004 ARE included though.   Here is the list I've been tracking my drams on for AVI - no tasting notes since I'm operating in Database Dramming Mode.

Drams are tracked on this spreadsheet as follows:

XXX/YYY where  XXX = drams for the day and YYY = drams for A6 as a whole.  I've also noted where I didn't try it because it was one of my contributions, where a dram was a non-scotch contribution (sorry John, just don't have time at Ardbeggeddon for Bourbons or Canadian whiskies) or where I S'tampled it for later consumption. 

Photos of the onsite holistic research and tracking institute where I channeled PLOWED for A6.

The count of PLOWED's traditionally favorite distilleries was represented as follows: 

  • Ardbeg - 13

  • Bowmore - 5

  • Brora - 2

  • Laphroaig - 2 

  • Port Ellen - 3

  • Springbank (all incarnations) - 26

Interesting, we are spreading out into non-traditional PLOWED dramming territory with this tasting.  And folks claim we're stuck in a Springbank-Ardbeg-Brora rut.  The one I'm particularly interesting in tasting several times over the next few days is one of the first bottles of PLOWED Port Ellen to enter the country.   This is our next vanity bottling and it's been a LONG time since I tasted the samples provided by Douglas Laing when we were selecting this cask for bottling.  PSYCHED! 

We also have a bottle of the Ardbeg Kildalton on-site.  I tried this at Rachel Barrie's Ardbeg seminar at WhiskyFest 2004 and was very impressed.  This will be a test to see if I was merely under her Islay spell.

Most of the credit for this 4th PLOWED bottling again goes to Port Alan - the Ringleaders once again salute you! 

PLOWED Port Ellen Bottling

We received our first bottles of the new PLOWED Port Ellen at Ardbeggeddon VI.  Great dram and the highest proof PLOWED bottling to date.  Absolutely needs water at ~61% and the dram opens up aggressively after we cracked the first one at about 8 pm on Friday.  Here's a photo of the label:

I'll try to get the Ringleaders to post tasting notes during A6 if I can get them to focus. 

Post Ardbeggeddon note:  I failed here and I'll have to get tasting notes over the next month or so when the entire shipment is delivered and distributed to the Ringleaders.  I have one of my bottles which I plan to open immediately when I get home to continue researching this new PLOWED dram.  Huge assertive Port Ellen that I'm very pleased with after tasting it every day during A6 to get a good assessment of this latest bottling.

Here's a photo of FoaF assessing the "pool table" malt whisky selection at A5 in 2004.  Since this worked out so well last year we rented another house with a pool table for A6.  Rumor has it that FoaF may not make it this year...  a tragedy...  but he often surprises us so I'm hoping for a last minute change of plans.

...and FoaF - If you DO make it please don't forget to pack the cavalcade of dumpy sigs again so I can try some of the beauties I missed last year.   Hey, this isn't about ME, it's about the malts!

BAD NEWS - We're on the plane from Manchester NH to Las Vegas and Slur Dave just informed me that FoaF will NOT be in attendance this year.  This is a CRIME!   Surprise us FoaF and stop by - you don't even have to bring the dumpy Sigs (but you CAN if you can squeeze them into your luggage...)

 Here is a new implement brought to A6 by Rodger, one of the latest Ringleaders and HERO of A6 for arranging the lodging and shopping for most of the food.  The Ringleaders salute you Rodger - you ROCK!

The new instrument ISN'T Doctor Silver, but instead the instrument he's demonstrating.  By the end of A6 this was known by all as:

"The sippy cup motherfuckah"

Alternative names included the earlier

"Crazy straw motherfuckah" and of course, "The whisky bong."

More testing needed but amazingly we didn't break it.  I found it weird to dram without being able to nose the malt as part of the process.   More data collection needed on the SCMF (if none of this makes sense then just assure yourself that this is simply another one of those events where you had to be there to understand this bit of PLOWED insanity.

Praise the ORD and Pass the Drammunition! (Slur Dave of the Local Barley)

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Last update on 01/31/2009