What's It All About, eh?

Cape Breton evokes deep memories and strong emotions for me as well as a deep appreciation for the beauty of my adopted island. My hopes are that you too might find the photos evocative - maybe a view you've not enjoyed before, or an 'Oh I've been there', or if from away that you may be encouraged to visit this fair isle so that you might come to love and breathe Cape Breton as I do. One word about place names that I use - some are completely local usage while others are from maps of Cape Breton that I've purchased over the years. I frequently post travel and other photos that are of interest to me - and hopefully you.

On the right hand side bar find my take on Single Malt whiskey - from how to best enjoy this noble drink to reviews (in a most non-professional manner) of ones that I have tried and liked - or not. Also musings, mine and others, on life in general.

Photographs are roughly 98%+ my own and copy-righted. For the occasional photo that is borrowed, credit is given where possible - recently I have started posting unusual net photographs that seem unique. Feel free to borrow any of my photos for non-commercial use, otherwise contact me. Starting late in 2013 I have tried to be consistent in identifying my photographs using ©smck on all out of camera photos I personally captured - (I often do minor computer changes such as 'crop' or 'shadow' etc but usually nothing major), and using
©norvellhimself on all photos that I have played around with in case it might not be obvious. Lately I have dropped the ©smck and have watermarked them with the blog name.

COMMENTS are appreciated as feedback is the driving energy of blogging - And if you like this site please pass it along to a friend. Thanks!

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Lots of hits from Poland today - thanks for stopping by - hope you continue to visit.  Also South Korea is browsing - many thanks - stop back.     Himself!

Ducks In A Row



Salamander In My Blueberry Patch





I was up the small rising hill at the back of the house pulling Goldenrod (lovely flower – invasive weed) from our little blueberry patch in the misty wet of the overcast when this little fellow caught my eye as he did his lolly-gagger kind of walk – front legs working somewhat as one is expecting to see but the rear legs doing a kind of a rolling up and forward side to side motion as the hips and lower tail wiggled about like a tad-pole.  Scooping him (her?) up in my hand I headed back to the house and let him free on the kitchen table while I snapped a few quick photos.  The loonie was handy to give a bit of scale as to the size of this little amphibian.  In a few short minutes back to the hill we went, where I released him very near to where the alien had scooped him up.  Off he went on his business of the day.

Cape Breton Award Winning Distillery

01 September 2013
I visited Glenora Distillery here in Cape Breton with a close friend Sunday and we got to sample the excellent single malt (since it's not made in Scotland it cannot use the phrase Scotch with the words single malt) which I will comment on later - and on the great guided tour of the facilities

Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old Single Malt




 



Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch comments:

   House Style -  Lightly peaty.  Cut grass and heather honey.  Clear flavors against a very clean background.  Aperitif.

     COLOUR   -   Bright gold.
     NOSE         -  Very aromatic, dry, faintly phenolic, lightly peaty.
     BODY        -  Firm, slightly oily.
     PALATE     -  Remarkably smooth, long lasting flavor development.  Aromatic, heather-honey notes give way to cut grass and malty sweetness, which intensifies to a sudden burst of peat.
     FINISH      -   A long crescendo.
    

score 76



NorvellHimself’s take:

This afternoon (as I write this – but for the detail oriented, the afternoon of Saturday, 31 August 2013) I drove into town for my daily cup of Tim Horton’s coffee.  Then stopped by to see an old friend who happens to run a nice successful business in St. Peters.  After the final customer of the day exited, we started talking as if it were a continuation of a conversation of just yesterday rather than some day of last August 2012.  As our conversation moved over various topics of interest I watched avidly (but not to greedily, I hope) as she brought out two nice rounded glasses and then a bottle of Dalwhinnie 15 year old single malt from a small cup-board.  I had never – out of a foolish snobbery of the producer being Diageo and of which happens to be owners of some of my favorite spirits; Lagavulin, Talisker, Caol Ila, Oban and other great malts, but all I could remember was the rather bland Cardhu – wanted to try the Dalwhinnie.  But today was my lucky day to really be shown that a smooth malt could also be interesting in terms of great flavour, subtle hints of peat that tantalized rather than hazed the palate, an over-all sense of organic fall fruits of all kinds – old fashion apples and pears almost into that honey state of being – this was a lulling bit of alcohol that smoothed the tongue along with the palate.  And I have to give it at least an 82 to 85 for the great flavour.  Normally I tend to like my sipping to be a bit more of an assault and in particular with iodiney peat leading the assault but the Dalwhinnie is a fine whisky – the perfect one to serve to those friends who normally stay clear of the usquebaugh - and to yourself now and again to remind you that great single malts can be smooth.   
score 83

A small bit of background on the Dalwhinnie distillery in the Speyside district of the Highlands.  (Borrowed from that incredible book, Michael Jackson’s Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch – 6th edition).

One of the highest distilleries in Scotland at 326 meters (1073 feet) it has the Monadhlaith Mountains to one side and the Forest of Atholl, the Cairngorms, and the Grampians to the other.  Its name in Gaelic means “meeting place”.  The village of the same name stands at the junction of old cattle-droving routes from the west and north down to the central lowlands.  Much whisky smuggling went on along this route.  When the distillery first opened in 1897 it was called Strathspey.

Their website is www.discovering-distilleries.com/www.malts.com