The Beer Lover's Guide to Whisky

When I think of the Czech Republic and alcohol, one word comes to mind; beer. A whole lot of beer. Growing up in Canada, there is a healthy – or unhealthy – amount of national pride derived from our self-image of being the hardiest of hardy beer drinkers.

Since moving to Prauge, it’s become clear that Canadians can’t hold a candle to the Czech’s love and consumption of beer. The Czechs are reported to drink more than 132 litres of beer per person every year, while Canada settles into fifth spot with approximately 98 litres per person.

However, as I enter a new stage of life – living in a new country, attending a new graduate school, the big 3-0 right around the corner – my tastes have been maturing. I’ve graduated to the whisky stage of life. My timing couldn’t be better.

The Czech Republic is entering its own whisky stage. The demand for quality whisky has grown so large that Prague will host its first ever whisky festival, Whisky Live Prague, this weekend at historic New Town Hall.

According to festival organizer, Marta van Leeuwen, the increased demand for quality whisky can be partly attributed to unsafe homemade alcohol finding its way to the market in 2012. The result was a controversial two-week prohibition on the sale of any spirits containing more than 20 percent alcohol.

“So many people drink this cheap, homemade alcohol. It is even killing people,” van Leeuwen said. “Maybe that is why people are looking at whisky and they find out that, although it’s not cheap, it’s really good.”

The festival, taking place on Friday, September 20th and Saturday, September 21st, will give participants the opportunity to taste more than 160 high quality whiskys without the usual expensive price tag.

Both days will feature two separate sessions, running from 13:00–17:00 and 18:00–22:00 at historical New Town Hall, which dates back to the 14th century.

Originally used as a city hall for New Town, the hall later became a courthouse, a prison with a torture chamber, and today is one of eighteen National Cultural Heritage Sights of Prague.

An art exhibition and live music will be provided by students from English College in Prague. Cheese, meat and cakes will be on sale.

For a more educational experience, you can sign up for a Masterclass. “They are whisky tasting with professional guidance,” van Leeuwen said.

“The brand ambassador will be telling people about four to six different bottles,” she said. “They will learn about the history and the smell. About what you should be focused on, what you are tasting and how you should taste.”

Ticket holders will receive 5 Drams; the currency for the festival. A dram is the standard term for a tasting amount of whisky. Addition Drams can be purchased at the festival for 30 Kc each. Brands will also be offering free tastings on specific bottles.

Participants will have their choice of whisky’s from around the globe and also have the rare opportunity to taste the Czech-made Hammer Head, a single-malt vintage distilled in communist Czechoslovakia. The whisky is only available for export and apart from the festival, is not sold in the Czech Republic, van Leeuwen said. A full listing of exhibitors can be found on the festival’s website.

Festival goers will also receive a Glencairn Whisky Glass from Scotland, ideal for drinking because of its shape, van Leeuwen said.

“Whisky glasses should be wider on the bottom and more narrow towards the top in order to keep the smell inside.” The result is an enhanced taste.

Each participant also gets a free cigar courtesy of The Cigar Point Company, which specializes in products from South America and Italy.

Although she expects the majority of the crowd to be men, van Leeuwen said she’d love to see women come out as well, adding that the event can be a great date.

While meeting for drinks at an Irish pub, van Leeuwen shared with me some of her whisky knowledge.

Experience whisky drinkers don’t use ice. As it melts, the whisky becomes more diluted and the taste becomes harder to control. However, adding water to dilute the drink to your personal taste is perfectly acceptable.

The aging process only takes place in a large wooden oak cask. Once the whisky is bottled, the aging process stops. The bottle is then stored upside down

“With the higher alcohol content of whisky, if you would lay it on its side, it would damage the cork and eventually leak out of the bottle,” van Leeuwen said.

When asked to describe whisky in one word, she answered without hesitation.

“Secret.”

Well,  the secret’s out. Visit Whisky Live Prague at the New Town Hall in September and be part of the Czech Republic’s whisky revolution.

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