New Bladnoch Bottlings Grantley's Whisky Blog

Bladnoch 10 year old 55%
Sherry Butt No 88/ Dist: May 2001 Btl: Nov 2011/ Tasted: Jan 2012
Initially the nose is a touch high toned and very citrusy. Seriously fruity with apricot and banana notes apparent. The sherry cask aromas are very subtle adding earthy, nutty notes along with a huge degree of vanillins/ marzipan (American sherry cask?). It’s a very perplexing nose. I have never come across so much overt ‘oakiness’ from a sherry cask before. Wonderfully fragrant however with a delightful softness and sweetness.
The palate is full with a more expected sherry character – nutty, dried fruit. Although the cask is relatively subtle it still prvides the majority of the flavours – pure sun-dried raisins, nutmeg, gingery spices and a touch of almond. This has an amazing complexity and is showing maturity beyond its years as it moves into an Armagnac-esque direction. Lovely length with the spirit adding a touch of citrus at the finish.
With water the sherry character becomes a shade more leafy and a touch sweeter with hints of demeara sugar. A simply stunning sherry cask
Bladnoch 19 year old 55%
Sherry Butt 2618/ Dist: Jul 1992 Btl: Nov 2011/ Tasted: Jan 2012
A lovely, mature, chocolatey, refill-sherry nose. The sherry is subtler than the 18 year old and allows the slightly high toned, mature grassy spirit to come through. For its age it has a lovely fresh intensity and with time a touch of perfumed white flowers, orange, earth and cream emerges. Beautifully balanced with some late nutty notes.
The palate is a tad dry and slightly woody to begin with showing coffee and chocolate coated nuts, but the slightly sugar coated orange fruit balances. Piquant alcohol leads into a spicy, slightly perfumed white fruit, brown sugar and light malt finish.
With water it becomes mellower and less intense but the orange fruit on the nose has become emphasised and exceedingly luscious and it really emphasises the spiciness of the finish.
Bladnoch 20 year old 51.4%
Bourbon Hogshead 5739/ Dist: Dec 1990/ Tasted: Jan 2012
A lovely venerable nose of mature honey and dried grass with hints of coffee, liquorice and toasted caramel. Still there is a hint of honeyed-citrus and hints of perfumed white fruit to give the nose some lift and freshness.
The palate opens with some earthy, dried grass, mature coffee, and more loamy, earthy notes. Delicate toffee-spices weave in along with a touch of barley and more dried grass. Beneath is some delicately sweet, malty spirit resulting in a brief citrus flourish before the dried grass notes return.
A drop of water opens the nose to display some beautifully fragrant, perfumed lilly and musky rose and has endowed the nose with a beguiling sumptuous character. The palate one could argue has become a tad watery, but it has allowed a touch of white fruit and oily, old rose petal/ Turkish delight to emerge. All that aside it is still a beautifully mature dram.

Bob Dylan art

Neil here. Last night we extended our opening hours for our branch of Castle Galleries, who were hosting (I think at most,  if not all, their branches nationally) the launch of the latest Bob Dylan art. They had invites art fans for a special launch, and a number of enthusiasts turned up. The collection must have done well nationally since several of the limited edition prints were sold out in minutes, I understand. Anyhow, I'm sure those real fans will already be aware, even if they haven't or couldn't manage to buy something. I've been a fan of Bob Dylan's music for MUCH longer than I care to admit, and perform a few of his songs myself when I'm in a band (not, at present) or pick up the guitar at other times, but when I first heard that he had started painting, I wasn't sure what to expect, and even less sure I'd like it.

Now I'm into my third year of seeing his stuff, and I actually have something of his on the wall at home (VERY modest cost, I assure you! Would that I could afford a signed print!) and I really like his style. I hasten to add at this point that I am firmly in the middle of the "I know nothing about art but I know what I like" camp. His work reminds me of Van Gogh, and Starry Night has been a favourite picture of mine forever. His subject matter just seems so apt too, and I think the "Train Tracks" series  is just quintessential Bob Dylan. It's a Bob Dylan song/lyric in a picture.

Tobacco Road

 

Glynn from Gauntleys is one of the regions foremost tobacco experts and has a prolific you tube site that reviews all types of pipe tobaccos,snuff etc. Here's a quick taster from his site mrtobacco.co.uk.
Gauntleys carry a very extensive range of products, even in such a small store.
* 160 single premium cigars (Tubed & Naked) * Over 100 pipe tobaccos (tinned, loose, bulk and custom blends)
* The biggest selection of Snuffs, Rolling tobaccos (loose & prepacked) & Cigarettes (Standard & Specialist) in the city and for a good way in each direction.
* Stockist of Dunhill, Dupont, Zippo (180+), Sarome, Colibri, Xikar, Vector, Piere Cardin & Silver Match lighters & accessories.
* Peterson, Parker, Dunhill, Butz Choquin, Stanwell, Savenli, Falcon, Chacom, Dr Plumb & Wilsons (Clay) pipe stockist (all price ranges)
* Cigar humidors, Cutters, Punches, Books and other Humidor accessories.
* Cigarette holders, Cigarette/Cigar cases, Tobacco tins/pouches, Ashtrays and rolling machines
* Saving & Gents Grooming, Hand Made walking sticks (Classic Canes) & Pewter tankard & hipflasks
* All this sits above a well stock and comprehenive cellar. We specialise in wines, whiskies, cognacs & armagnacs

Mediterranean Inspiration at Crabtree & Evelyn

Mediterranean Inspiration at Crabtree & Evelyn

Crabtree & Evelyn introduces their brand new Avocado, Olive and Basil Body and Hand Care Collection*.

Inspired by the revitalising botanicals of the Mediterranean, the new range features nourishing avocado, olive and skin conditioning basil extract and has been carefully blended to keep your body beautifully moisturised.

Feel the need for a touch of pampering this season?

Crabtree & Evelyn’s special launch offer will help smooth the way:

You can purchase 3 Avocado, Olive and Basil products for just £28 (rrp £45):

Bath & Shower Gel

Body Lotion

Hand Therapy

Composed of only the finest quality plant extracts, botanical oils and emollient butters, the new Avocado, Olive and Basil Collection will leave your skin wonderfully soft and smooth.

Revitalising Bath & Shower Gel

£15 for 250ml

This Bath & Shower Gel is formulated with conditioning avocado extract, rejuvenating olive fruit extract, and soothing basil extract for skin that is fresh and gently moisturised.

Skin Revitalising Body Lotion

£16 for 250ml

This Body Lotion is formulated with avocado fruit extract and shea butter to condition dry skin, basil extract to soothe, and avocado butter to moisturise and nourish the skin for a softer and smoother finish.

Skin Nourishing Body Butter

£22 for 225g

The luxurious, deep-conditioning Body Butter will condition even the driest skin. Contains conditioning avocado and shea butters, richly moisturising beeswax, soothing basil extract, and rejuvenating olive fruit extract for exceptionally soft skin.

Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy

£14 for 100g

Crabtree & Evelyn’s award winning Hand Therapy is packed with ultra-moisturising ingredients – nourishing shea butter and avocado fruit extract condition the skin, while avocado butter helps leave it softer. Formulated with a blend of vitamins C and E along with myrrh extract to help condition nails and cuticles, this will leave your hands wonderfully soft and supple.

The beautifully invigorating scent of Crabtree & Evelyn’s new collection completely captures avocado, olive blossoms, basil, sage, and Mediterranean herbs, with a twist of crisp lemon and energising cypress and is suitable for all skin types.

Don’t delay, take a Mediterranean inspired trip today:

Crabtree & Evelyn

The Exchange, 8 High Street, Nottingham

T: 0115 958 64544 W: www.crabtree-evelyn.co.uk

* Available in store from Wednesday, 25^th January

 

A Management View

 You're never too old so they say - and that's what I've been proving these last few months with all this social networking lark. Two years ago I had never heard of Facebook, I didn't know what a 'blog' was, and I don't think Twitter had even been invented. Now, the national body for Shopping Centres (the BCSC) has even released some research into how shopping centres are, and should or shouldn't be, using social networking to help promote their business. We've taken on a guru to pull together all our online activity and are in the throes of redesigning our website (less than four years old and already looking horribly outdated) and I find myself wondering how we can make our online presence seem human, real, interesting, maybe a bit quirky, and not just that cynical proselytising  that the big companies seem to be doing - "visit us on Facebook!" - which seems a total turn-off to me anyway.

So, you're going to find all sorts of stuff from us on the web whether it be on Facebook, on Twitter or our TV channel on youtube or this blog. The Exchange is a wonderful building, Grade II* listed - and probably grade I within the next ten years - a unique place with a great shopping experience and I'm VERY proud of it, and the changes and improvements I have made - and continue to make - to my wonderful centre. I will thus be making the occasional entry on this blog, talking about the things I think are important about the Exchange and its environment, and anything else I feel like ranting (or raving) about.  I hope they prove readable, and you enjoy my input. You can be sure of one thing. I'll mean every word.

Hawes & Curtis Support Local Design Talent

Hawes & Curtis Support Local Design Talent

Six third year fashion students from Nottingham Trent University have been shortlisted as finalists in a design competition set by formal shirt brand Hawes & Curtis.  Given the opportunity to design a men’s or ladies shirt that would sit alongside the Hawes & Curtis premium fashion range, their samples will be displayed in The Exchange Hawes & Curtis store window from Thursday 1^st March, giving customers the chance to help vote for the winner through secret in store ballot cards!

“I was so delighted to win the competition”, enthused last year’s winner, Annabel Leech (pictured). “It means so much to me that my work was recognised by industry professionals and went on to be sold as part of the Hawes & Curtis Spring range. To be able to put in my portfolio the design of a shirt that has been produced and sold in a high street retailer is invaluable.”

Annabel’s winning creation was a classic Audrey Hepburn inspired designed shirt with a string of pearls round the neck, which was translated in to a beautiful white pearl print on black ground in a fitted stretch ladies shirt. 100 shirts from the winning design were then launched as part of Hawes & Curtis’ Spring 2011 collection.

The prize also included the opportunity for Annabel to follow the design and manufacturing process of her shirt in order to make sure she was happy with the finished result, and to understand how designs are processed into production.

The final stage of the prize allowed Annabel to take up a work placement in Hawes & Curtis London’s design studio, where she worked with the designers for Hawes & Curtis, Ghost, and high street customers such as Marks and Spencer and Per Una – all part of the group.

“We’re keen to support up and coming talent and to give fashion students a commercial edge in a very competitive industry”, explains Hawes & Curtis Area Manager and judge, Sarah Meese. “The standard this year has been extremely high and it’s going to be difficult choosing an overall winner. I would encourage local shoppers to come down to the store and check out their amazing designs and to vote!”

The public can view and judge this year’s final designs from 1st March at the Hawes & Curtis store in The Exchange, Nottingham.

Hawes and Curtis

9 The Exchange, Nottingham, NG1 2DD

T: 0115 985 9326

www.hawesandcurtis.com

Daphne Guinness at M•A•C

Daphne Guinness at M•A•C

Take a first glimpse into the winter colour palette imagined and created by Daphne Guinness. An artist and collector of haute couture, Daphne is her art and describes this collaboration with M∙A∙C as "a window into my imagination".

Admired internationally for her unique style and vast collection of stunning designer pieces. The heiress and fashion journalist, was not only a close friend of the late, great Alexander McQueen, but continues to impress, donning the most daring and eye catching designs, creating a look like no other.

Described by designer and film director Tom Ford as “One of the – if not the – most stylish women living,”

Daphne Guinness has now collaborated with M.A.C on a seasonal makeup fix

 and it’s available at Nottingham’s The Exchange.

Eye Shadow X4: Interior Life

Dark, moody, painterly, this limited edition Eye Shadow compact melds Daphne Guinness' choice of muted pink and dusky lavender with charcoal and mid-tone grey, creating a rich, smoky look.

£33.00

Pigment

Pigment is a highly concentrated loose colour powder that contains ingredients to help it adhere to the skin and is available in an excellent range of colours.

£16.50

Eyebrows

Self-propelling, self-sharpening, brow defining and confidently adds shape, colour and density in one streamlined tool. Easy to tote around and no sharpener needed.

£11.50

Powerpoint Eye Pencil

Waterproof. Longwearing. Metallic, shimmer and matte finishes. Smooth to apply. Won't transfer, smudge, or budge... Draws the line: powers your eyes. Makes its point. Lasts.

£13.00

Pro Longwear Lipcrème

Lightweight texture, creamy finish and comfortable longwear combine in this has-it-all pro-class lip colour. Slick in use, applies without need of a top coat and still lasts up to 12 hours, keeping lips soft and hydrated.

£16.50

Cremesheen Glass

A lip finish that fuses the creamy, sheen-filled nature of Cremesheen Lipstick, with the shine of M∙A∙C Lipglass. Soft, comfortable & non-sticky. Use as a top layer to its namesake Lipstick or on its own.

£16.50

Blush Ombre

A powder blush featuring a shade wave of gentle ombre hues. Ultra-fine formula provides the cheeks with flawless, medium-buildable coverage and lightly pearled, natural-looking radiance. Limited edition.

£20.50

Nail Lacquer

Revolutionary new high gloss formula with 3 longwearing finishes - Cream, Sheer and Frosted.

Visibly different, providing no-streak/no-chip finish. Contains conditioners and UV protection.

£9.00

Embrace the art and get the look at……….

M•A•C

14 Cheapside

 The Exchange

 Nottingham

 NG1 2HU

T: 0870 192 5265

 W: www.maccosmetics.co.uk

Rhone & Chateauneuf du Pape 2010 - One of the greatest vintages at Gauntleys

Rhone & Chateauneuf du Pape 2010 - One of the greatest vintages

2010 is without doubt one of the greatest vintages we have ever seen in the Rhone Valley. With a small harvest and the release of Robert Parker's Advocate, these wines are not going to stay on the market long. Please keep watching this site for the latest releases

Gauntleys 2010 Rhone Report

In the 20 or so years we have been visiting and working in the Rhone, it is quite possible that 2010, has the potential to be the finest vintage we have seen. Further, if we take into account the 2009 wines that are now complete and in bottle, the two years together are certainly the best back-to-back vintages since 1989 and 1990 or 2000 and 2001. It goes without saying that with the arrival of the ‘second generation’ of young, talented wine makers the choice of fine wines are greater now than ever before. The one cloud on the horizon is that the harvest in 2010 was extremely small – upwards of 40% less wine has been produced than in 2007 (the crop in 2009 was 30% down on 2007 to compound the shortages).

The crop was naturally small in 2010 owing to the combination of a particularly cold winter, (Chateauneuf had snow for the first time since the mid-seventies) and a particularly ferocious spring mistral that blew a good proportion of the young buds off the vines. Then followed an almost perfect growing season with sufficient rainfall and sunshine to allow an even maturation, (the last seven vintages have all been marked by drought to some degree or another). As a consequence the harvest could be completed quickly and evenly, unlike 2009 where successive tries were required to bring in the correctly matured fruit. By and large the fermentations were simple and quick too, with few problems of heat and excessive sugars. In fact the majority of the wines have been fermented to near complete dryness. The resulting richness in the 2010s, comes from the level of ripeness in the grapes, not residual sugar.

So, what do the wines taste like? For me, there is an extraordinary sense of completeness, the wines appearing to have been ‘gently touched by a kiss of tannin’, to quote one particularly poetic vigneronne! At the same time the majority possess a minerality/acidity, (rarely felt down here), that refreshes the seemingly perfect maturity of fruit, which has not been ‘aided’ by the influence of much residual sugar.

- Gauntleys

Click HERE for more details. 

Souper New Year at Pret

Souper New Year at Pret

It’s hot off the menu!

With a New Year comes a new Pret Selection of scrumptious surprises……naturally!

 And guaranteed to make you feel souper!

The Exchange’s Pret A Manger have lots
of delicious new soups alongside other hot treats for you to
try, all warming and full of natural goodness.

There are 3 flavours of soup available each day, with choices changing daily.

 There’s a different 'hearty soup' on offer every day that’s chunky and full of flavour, and there’s also a daily change of the 'simple soup' that has a more delicate flavour, plus there’s a 'soup of the week' that, well it changes weekly!

Here are a few delicious soups that will be on offer to tickle your tastebuds:

Thai Red Curry, Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry, Cream of Chicken, Beef Ale and Barley, Moroccan Chicken, Malaysian Chicken Curry, Sausage Hotpot, Sweet Potato with Sour Cream and Chilli, Thai Corn, Broccoli and Italian Cheese, Cauliflower Cheese, Smoky Bacon and Corn Chowder, plus Cream of Mushroom……Yum! Yum!

What a souper and tasteful selection to keep you  warm this winter at…..

Pret A Manger

The Exchange

10 High Street
Nottingham
NG1 2ET
T: 020 7932 5290

W: http://www.pret.com/