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THE MESSAGE King of the Mountains in Malibu M alibu Family Wines introduced the offi cial wine of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California at an event hosted by the Semler Estate in Malibu, California. King of the Mountains Cuvée is the fi rst proprietary red from the Semler Estate. It is blended from Bordeaux and Rhône varieties and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Breakaway from Cancer (www.breakawayfromcancer.com). —Allison Levine Malibu Family Wines 2008 King of the Mountains Cuvée, Saddle Rock, Malibu ($32) Velvety, lush and supple; deep, dense and rich with lovely plum, blackberry and spice; long, balanced, complex and quite lovely. 93 points. —Anthony Dias Blue Vintner Tami Semler and Malibu Family Wines Western Regional Sales Manager Kevin Bening at the Semler Estate. How Long Can Whisky Last? T A Scots piper assists as Claire Urqhuhart, great-great granddaughter of the founder, poses on the single cask of 19 Mortlach. A Dram and a Pint T he Dalmore’s well-traveled Master Blender, Richard Paterson, made a whistle stop in Los Angeles last month, where he hosted a tasting seminar for consumers at The Daily Pint, Santa Monica’s venerable English pub. London-born owner Phillip McGovern, who has run the pub for a quarter century, is a keen enthusiast for Scotch whisky, and stocks upwards of 350 different selections, including rare old expressions of The Dalmore. “We’ll have to forgive him for being English,” Paterson jokes. —David Gadd Leslie Thomas of SpiritLand in Santa Barbara. The Daily Pint owner and avid whisky enthusiast Phillip McGovern (center) joins Whyte & Mackay Regional Director West Steve Heller (left) and The Dalmore’s Master Distiller Richard Paterson in a toast. 1 / the tasting panel / may 2010 his question occurred at the launch of what was claimed to be the oldest single malt ever bottled—and thus the oldest whisky ever offered for sale: a single cask from the Mortlach distillery on Speyside, distilled in 1938. And where better to taste this remarkable dram than in Edinburgh Castle, along with several generations of the Urquhart family, proprietors of well-respected Scots merchants Gordon & MacPhail of Elgin. They’ve been holding this, along with other rare stocks, ever since it was distilled. On tasting, the spirit was still fresh, still vibrant and rich, rounded and multi-layered—a triumph of the distillers’ art. And, incredibly, a decent value at around $15,000 for one of the 50-odd bottles, though a few have gone already and you may have to be satisfi ed with the 20-cl. minis. The U.S. sales agent is Classic Wine Imports Inc., Norwood, MA. —Ian Buxton PHOTO: ALLISON LEVINE PHOTO: COURTESY OF GORDON & MACPHAIL PHOTO: DAVID GADD