Currently hosting whisky & whiskey classes at The Portland Cookshop and The John Barleycorn Home…see the Ramsay’s Dram Academy page for more info.

Here’s an outline of the classes at The John Barleycorn Home:

WHISKY TASTINGS BY A WHISKY EXPERT

Stuart MacLean Ramsay, Keeper of the Quaich (Scotland) and Kentucky Colonel, is available to host your curated whisky tasting. Voted ‘Best Person to Drink with in Portland’ by the Willamette Week, your host will curate the whiskies and take you on a memorable journey exploring the whisky cultures of Scotland, Kentucky or Oregon. (Or a combination of the three.) Published author, Whisky Magazine contributing editor and original curator of Portland’s Multnomah Whiskey Library, Ramsay is the owner of Ramsay’s Dram Academy of Whisky,the oldest whisky school in America.

Each class is two hours long and covers the history, culture, production methods and flavor profiles of the whisky category. Three classic whiskies representing regional and production styles and a craft beer back will be sampled per class. Slideshow and Wee-Book included. Snacks provided, but feel free to bring or cook your own food.                  

Cost: $60 per guest. Maximum: 6 guests. Text Stuart (503-805-6763) or email (stuart@ramsaysdram.com) to book a class and availability.

Scotch Whisky

Overview: History and Culture of Scotch • The origins of whisky making in Scotland • Birth of the Blends • Difference between blended Scotch and Single Malt Scotch • Production and flavor characteristics of Scotch.

Bourbon & Rye Whiskey

Overview: History and Culture of American whiskey • The origins of whiskey in America • Rye whiskey & Bourbon whiskey • Production and flavor characteristics • Wheat-based Bourbons, Rye-based Bourbons and Small Batch Bourbons.

Oregon Craft Whiskey

Overview: Origins and History of American craft distilling • Production techniques and differences • Sampling and analysis of Oregon craft distilled whiskey • Recommended local distilleries.

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And here are a few pre-pandemic classes at the Academy:

Scotch Production & Flavor : How Whisky is made and the flavors that derive from the production process; how to taste; adding water; History and Culture of Scotch and the birth of the blends; we’ll also explore the whisky producing regions, how relevant they are, and the latest innovations in whisky making such as wine-finishing, higher proof bottlings and chill filtration. Recommended whiskies will be from Speyside, Islay, The Highlands & Islands.

Bourbon & Rye Production & Flavor: How American Whiskey is made and the flavors that derive from the production process; History and Culture of Bourbon and Rye; exploration of Bottled in Bond, Single Barrel, the importance of charred oak, barrel proof and sourced whiskey. And are Van Winkles really worth it? Recommended whiskies will include a classic Bourbon and Rye, Bottled in Bond and Single Barrel whiskies. Hooch, Horses and History!

Benromach & Gordon & MacPhail. Whisky Theme: Independent Bottling and Scotland’s Independent Bottlers. I’ve known the Urquhart family, owners of Benromach and Gordon & MacPhail, since I started writing about Scotch whisky. Without their independent bottling philosophy, quite a few of Scotland’s malt distilleries would have closed permanently. I rank them the #1 independent bottler in terms of quality and consistency. Benromach Distillery has become one of Scotland’s most innovative stills, and there are more distilleries on the way!

Heaven Hill Distilleries. Bourbons and Rye whiskies from Kentucky’s Heaven Hill Distillers; Covering Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Parker’s Heritage, Rittenhouse & Pikesville Rye, Henry McKenna; the Heaven Hill and Shapira family story. Whiskey Theme: Bottled in Bond. Honored to have known and interviewed Parker Beam, Heaven Hill’s Master Distiller, and to have followed the success and canny management of the Shapira family who own and run the company. Great whiskies, great prices and still a few undiscovered gems from an independent, family-owned whisky maker.

Compass Box: John Glaser and the Compass Box story. Covering Hedonism, The Peat Monster, Spice Tree, Great King Street, etc. Whisky Theme: The craft and history of Blended Scotch. I worked with John Glaser when Diageo was launching their Classic Malts in the United States. John went on to found Compass Box and has turned blended Scotch upside down and sideways, in a wonderful way. Easily the most innovative creator of top class Scotch blends, Compass Box dabbles in malt whisky, too, and every bottling is a work of art, inside and out.

The Sazerac Company & Buffalo Trace: Whiskies covered will be Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, EH Taylor, etc. Theme: Age and Rare Whiskies told via The Antique Collection (Stagg, Weller, Handy, Sazerac Rye) and Van Winkle. Again, I was fortunate and honored to know and interview Elmer T. Lee, master distiller at Buffalo Trace Distillery before he passed a few years ago. Elmer worked with Colonel Albert Blanton and hand-picked the barrels for Blanton’s, the first single barrel Bourbon. An innovative whiskey company, Buffalo Trace produces and ages a plethora of Kentucky’s greatest drams.

Glenmorangie Distillery: The Glenmorangie story. Whisky Theme: Wine Finished whisky & Doctor Bill Lumsden. This is where it all began for me in my Whisky journey and career. At the age of 19, I was sampled a 17 year old sherry cask Glenmorangie in a dank, stone and slate dunnage warehouse in Tain. No words to describe the experience, but one sip set me on many spiritual paths. When someone tells me they don’t drink single malt Scotch or they don’t like the flavor, I pour them a dram of Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or with a drop or two of spring water. Another easy convert.

William Grant & Sons: Balvenie & Glenfiddich, Hazelwood, Ailsa Bay, Monkey Shoulder. Whisky Theme: Independent & Pioneer whisky makers in Scotland. So my favorite Speyside malt whisky was (still is) Balvenie PortWood 21yr, back when it was $60 a bottle. My current everyday dram is the decidedly easy drinking and affordable Monkey Shoulder. Both created by William Grant & Sons in the spiritual community of Dufftown. Always a pioneer in Scotch whisky and spirits (Hendrick’s Gin, anyone?), they do Scotland proud.

Sláinte!

Stuart

Questions: Email stuart@ramsaysdram or Text: 503-805-6763