alba

New Vintages and Alba Reserve from The Glenrothes

Filed under: Spirits

To devotees of the Speyside variety of single malt scotch, The Glenrothes holds a special status. Such devotees will be eager to learn of three new expressions released from the highly acclaimed distillery, hitting shelves just in time for the Fall season as temperatures begin to drop and a warming dram looks all the more enticing.

The latest Glenrothes bottlings include the Vintage 1994 ($79.99), the Vintage 1998 ($54.99) and the Alba Reserve ($59.99). The two new Vintage expressions follow the popular 1991 edition, supplies of which will soon be exhausted, while the smooth Alba Reserve, aged in American oak refill casks, follows the likes of the Glenmorangie and Ardbeg (as well as the special wood finishes from Bruichladdich) in earning kosher certification.

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Tags: alba, alba reserve, glenrothes, kosher, scotch whisky, speyside, the glenrothes, the glenrothes alba reserve, the glenrothes vintage 1994, the glenrothes vintage 1998, vintage 1994, vintage 1998, whiskey, whisky

Record-setting Truffle Makes One Pricey Meal

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Auctions

It may not be the prettiest food we've ever seen but the 750-gram (26-ounce) white truffle shown above, is one pricey delicacy. The "Queen Tartufo" Alba ttruffle recently was auctioned off for $208,000 and will be served at a banquet in Hong Kong. The truffle had been shipped from Alba in Italy's Piedmont region to Hong Kong for the charity auction which benefits Mother's Choice, a charity that provides care for pregnant women.

It's an expensive year for the truffle market. A bad truffle season in Alba has driven prices up to an average of $4,000 a pound with small truffles less than an inch in diameter sells for around $50. Luckily you don't need a lot of truffle to make an impact. A few thin shavings over pasta or an omelette can make a simple meal luxurious. Black truffles from Italy are a cheaper alternative at $500 a pound. Or you can always go American, Oregon white truffles can be found for $40 for three ounces. They aren't held in quite as high regard as Italian truffles but they are gaining in popularity and there is even an Oregon Truffle festival held in January.

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Tags: alba, auction, hong kong, italy, oregon, piedmont, spending, truffles